Bicycle Safety Tips
- Wear clothes that make you more visible.
- Be cautious when riding a bike at night. Make sure you have the proper lights on your bicycle. Wear reflective materials or clothing.
- Wear a helmet. Studies have shown that wearing a helmet can reduce injuries by up to 80%.
- Loose items should be secured to a properly installed carrier or carried in a backpack.
- Protect against bike theft. Most bikes stolen are not locked.
- Obey traffic signs, signals and road markings.
- Be familiar with the laws pertaining to bicycles.
Bicycle Laws
Anyone who rides a bicycle on the street or bicycle path must obey the bicycle laws. Parents shouldn't knowingly permit their children to violate the laws.
291C-141: Effects of regulation
(a) It is a traffic infraction for any person to do any act forbidden or fail to perform any act required in this part.
(b) The parent of any child and the guardian of any ward shall shall not authorize or knowingly permit any such child or ward to violate this chapter.
(c) These regulations applicable to bicycles shall apply whenever a bicycle is operated upon any highway or upon any bicycle path set aside for the preferential or exclusive use of bicycles subject to those exceptions herein.
Bicyclists riding on the roadway have the
same rights as vehicle drivers. Bicyclists also have to obey all applicable traffic laws.
291c-142: Traffic laws apply to persons riding bicycles
Every person riding a bicycle upon a roadway shall be granted all the rights and shall be subjected to all of the duties applicable to the driver of a vehicle by chapter 291C of the Hawaii Traffic Code.
Persons riding bikes must ride on a regular attached seat. No packing allowed! Each person must have their own seat.
291C-143: Riding on bicycles
(a) A person propelling a bicycle shall not ride other than upon or astride a permanent and regular seat attached thereon.
(b) No bicycle shall be used to carry more persons at one time than the number for which it is designed and equipped.
It's not only dangerous to hold onto a vehicle while riding a bike, on a skateboard, or similar toy... It's against the law!
291C-144: Clinging to vehicles
No person riding upon any coaster, roller skates, sled, or toy bicycle or other toy vehicle shall attach it or oneself to any vehicle upon a roadway, and no person riding a bicycle or moped upon any roadway shall attach the bicycle or moped or oneself to any vehicle other than the one the person is riding.
Bicycles on the roadway should ride in a single file near the right-hand curb or edge of roadway in the same direction as traffic. Be careful when passing vehicles parked on the side of the road.
291C-145: Riding on roadways and bikeways
(a) Every person operating a bicycle upon a roadway at a speed less than normal speed of traffic moving in the same direction at such time shall ride as near to the right-hand curb, on the edge of the roadway, or the shoulder off the roadway as practicable, exercising due care when passing a standing vehicle or one proceeding in the same direction.
(b) Persons riding bicycles upon a roadway shall ride in single file; provided that where the flow of traffic is unimpeded, riding two abreast upon bicycle lanes and bicycle paths shall be permitted when such lane or path is of sufficient width to allow riding two abreast unless otherwise prohibited by rule or ordinance adopted by the director of transportation or by the counties.
You have to have one hand on the handle bars at all times. You can't carry anything that prevents you from using both hands to control your bicycle.
291C-146: Carrying articles
No person operating a bicycle shall carry any package, bundle, or article which prevents the use of both hands in the control and operation of the bicycle. A person operating a bicycle shall keep at lease one hand on the handle bars at all times.
Persons under 16 years old must wear a helmet when riding a bicycle.
291C-150: Bicycle Helmets
No person under sixteen years of age shall operate a bicycle upon a street, bikeway, or any other public property unless that person is wearing a properly fitted and fastened bicycle helmet that has been tested by a nationally recognized agency such as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the National Safety Council, or the Children's Safety Network, and is designed to fit the user and protect against head trauma. This requirement also applies to a person who rides upon a bicycle while in a restraining seat that is attached to the bicycle or who rides in a trailer towed by the bicycle.
For questions or additional information, call 529-3106.