More and more people are discovering the benefits of bicycling, both nationally and locally. The number of commuters and riders of bicycles has almost doubled in the 70 largest cities nationwide.
So far in Wisconsin, 2014 has been the safest year for bicyclists—there has only been one fatality in the first six months. The number of fatalities and injuries has gone down 43 percent since 1990, even though the general population and the number of bicycle riders has increased.
However, there is generally a lack of knowledge concerning the rights of bicyclists. As biking grows in popularity, more people need to learn about the rules of the road concerning bicycles.
Motorists and cyclists both need to learn the important Wisconsin biking laws. Cyclists must:
- Ride with traffic.
- Use the proper hand signals for at least 50 feet when planning to make a turn. However, if both hands are needed for controlling the bicycle, hand signals are not needed.
- Have a front lamp and back rear red reflector when riding in the dark that should be visible from at least 500 feet away.
- Know it is illegal to bike on a sidewalk except for supervised children under the age of 10 and persons with disabilities escorted by a responsible adult.
For more information on statutes related to bicycling, visit the Wisconsin Department of Transportation website. Or, please contact Hupy and Abraham for additional bicycle safety information, or if you have been injured while riding a bicycle.
