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State Bike Laws

Riding a bike is a healthy, fun and safe activity. However, it isn't without some risk. The following information highlights 13 areas of law that may minimize that risk and have the potential to reduce conflicts between bikes and cars (and other traffic). These highlights only cover statewide laws and are not comprehensive.

If you want to learn more about state bicycling policies and efforts, check out our Bicycle Friendly State program.

Check out our Smart Cycling videos if you are interested in bicycling education videos.

All laws mentioned here were compiled as part of a research project in the fall of 2012 and may be subject to change. We update laws as we work with our member advocacy organizations to pass better laws and as advocates or the public tell us about changes. Please help us keep them updated by contacting ken@bikeleague.org with any updates.

Select your state from the list below to review that state's bike laws.

Connecticut

Safe Passing Laws

Connecticut provides that the driver of a vehicle overtaking another vehicle proceeding in the same direction shall pass to the left thereof at a safe distance and shall not again drive to the right side of the highway until safely clear of the overtaken vehicle. A “safe distance” means not less than three feet when the driver of a vehicle overtakes and passes a person riding a bicycle.

Source: Conn. Gen. Stat. §14-232

Helmet Law

Connecticut requires that any person fifteen years of age or under riding a bicycle, as an operator or passenger, must wear a protective bicycle helmet. However, failure to wear protective a protective bicycle helmet as required shall not be considered to be contributory negligence on the part of the parent or the child nor shall such failure be admissible in any civil action.

Source: Conn. Gen. Stat. §14-286d

Share the Road license plates

Connecticut has a law authorizing Share the Road license plates, but they are not currently available through Connecticut’s Department of Motor Vehicles website. Money from such plates goes into a fund to enhance public awareness of the rights and responsibilities of bicyclists and motorists and to promote bicycle use and safety. Private donations to the fund may be made through the Commissioner of Transportation. To see current specialty plates please visit: http://www.ct.gov/dmv/cwp/view.asp?a=811&q=276580

Source: Conn. Gen. Stat. §14-21w

Vulnerable Road User Laws

Connecticut defines a “vulnerable user” as:

  • A pedestrian,
  • A highway worker,
  • A person riding or driving an animal,
  • A person riding a bicycle,
  • A person using a skateboard, roller skates or in-line skates,
  • A person operating or riding on an agricultural tractor,
  • A person using a wheelchair or motorized chair, or
  • A blind person and such person’s service animal.

Connecticut provides protection to vulnerable users by providing that any person operating a motor vehicle on a public way who fails to exercise reasonable care and causes the serious physical injury or death of a vulnerable user of a public way, provided such vulnerable user has shown reasonable care in such user’s use of the public way, shall be fined not more than one thousand dollars.

Connecticut also has several statutes aimed at protecting bicyclists specifically. These include:

  • No person operating a vehicle that overtakes and passes a person riding a bicycle proceeding in the same direction shall make a right turn unless the turn can be made with reasonable safety and will not impede the travel of the person riding the bicycle.
  • A surcharge shall be imposed equivalent to one hundred per cent of the fine established or imposed for the violation of certain laws regulating the right of way at intersections when the driver of a vehicle fails to grant or yield the right-of-way to a person riding a bicycle.

Sources: Conn. Gen. Stat. §§14-300i; 14-242(f); 14-212c

Distracted Driving Laws

Connecticut currently has the following laws aimed at distracted driving, subject to limited exceptions:

  • No person shall operate a motor vehicle upon a highway  while using a hand-held mobile telephone to engage in a call or while using a mobile electronic device while such vehicle is in motion
    • An operator of a motor vehicle may not type, send or read a text message with a hand-held mobile telephone or mobile electronic device while such vehicle is in motion
  • No person shall use a hand-held mobile telephone or other electronic device, including those with hands-free accessories, or a mobile electronic device while operating a moving school bus that is carrying passengers
  • No person under eighteen years of age shall use any hand-held mobile telephone, including one with a hands-free accessory, or a mobile electronic device while operating a moving motor vehicle on a public highway

Source: Conn. Gen. Stat. §14-296aa

Where to Ride

Connecticut requires that any person operating a bicycle upon a roadway at less than the normal speed of traffic shall ride as close to the right side of the roadway as is safe, as judged by the bicyclist, except when:

  • Overtaking or passing another vehicle proceeding in the same direction;
  • Preparing for a left turn at an intersection or into a private road or driveway;
  • Reasonably necessary to avoid conditions, including, but not limited to, fixed or moving objects, parked or moving vehicles, bicycles, pedestrians, animals, surface hazards or lanes that are too narrow for a bicycle and a motor vehicle to travel safely side by side within such lanes;
  • Approaching an intersection where right turns are permitted and there is a dedicated right turn lane, in which case a bicyclist may ride on the left-hand side of such dedicated lane, even if the bicyclist does not intend to turn right;
  • Riding on a roadway designated for one-way traffic, when the bicyclist may ride as near to the left-hand curb or edge of such roadway as judged safe by the bicyclist; or
  • Riding on parts of a roadway separated for the exclusive use of bicycles, including, but not limited to, contra-flow bicycle lanes, left-handed cycle tracks or bicycle lanes on one-way streets and two-way cycle tracks or bicycle lanes.

Source: Conn. Gen. Stat. §14-286b

Sidewalk Riding

Connecticut allows bicycles to operate on sidewalks subject to the following rules:

  • Each person operating a bicycle upon and along a sidewalk or across any roadway upon and along a crosswalk shall yield the right-of-way to any pedestrian and shall give an audible signal within a reasonable distance before overtaking and passing a pedestrian; and
  • No person shall operate a bicycle upon or along a sidewalk or across a roadway upon and along a crosswalk if such operation is prohibited by any ordinance of any city, town or borough or by any regulation of the State Traffic Commission.

Source: Conn. Gen. Stat. §14-286

Mandatory Use of Separated Facilities

Connecticut generally does not require bicycles to use bicycle paths where they are provided. However, bicycles cannot use parkways and other limited access state highways except on paths specifically provided for bicycles.

Source: Office of the State Traffic Administration (OSTA) §14-298-238

Bicycling Under the Influence

In Connecticut, bicycles fall within the definition of a motor vehicle. Connecticut’s law prohibiting driving while under the influence of alcohol or other controlled substances is written so that it applies to motor vehicles and therefore likely applies to bicyclists. Bicycles should not be operated while intoxicated and operating a bicycle while under the influence of alcohol or other controlled substances may result in severe punishments.

Sources: Conn. Gen. Stat. §§14-212; 14-227a

“Idaho Stop” and Vehicle Detection Errors

Connecticut does not provide any modifications to the requirement to come to a complete stop when directed to stop by traffic control devices and does not authorize bicyclists to disobey traffic lights that fail to detect bicyclists.

Source: N/A

Authorization for Local Regulation of bicycles

Connecticut provides that each town, city and borough shall have authority to make any ordinance not inconsistent with state laws respecting governing and controlling the use of bicycles within such town, city or borough. This authority includes creating with appropriate penalties for violation of such ordinances, and may include requiring annual licensing of bicycles and providing for registration of any sale of, or change of ownership in, a bicycle.

Source: Conn. Gen. Stat. §14-289

Dooring law

Connecticut requires that no person shall open the door of a motor vehicle in such a manner as to cause physical contact with moving traffic with such door, provided moving traffic is traveling at a reasonable rate of speed and with due regard for the safety of all persons and property. In addition, no person shall leave the door of a motor vehicle open for a period of time longer than necessary to load or unload passengers and in such a manner as to cause physical contact with moving traffic with such door.

Source: Conn. Gen. Stat. §14-300j

Treatment as a Vehicle

In Connecticut bicycles are vehicles according to the statute that defines vehicles and a person riding a bicycle has all of the rights and duties of the driver of a vehicle as provided in the statutes relating to motor vehicles, except as to those provisions which by their nature can have no application and as otherwise provided in certain local ordinances.

Source: Conn. Gen. Stat. §§14-212(5), (10); 14-286a

Other Resources

The following resources may be useful: