State Bike Laws

Illinois

Safe Passing Laws

Illinois requires that the operator of a motor vehicle overtaking a bicycle proceeding in the same direction on a highway shall leave a safe distance, but not less than 3 feet, when passing the bicycle and shall maintain that distance until safely past the overtaken bicycle.

Source: 625 Ill. Comp. Stat. §11-703(d)

Helmet Law

Illinois has no helmet law. It is legal for all persons of any age to operate a bicycle without wearing a helmet unless otherwise provided by a municipal regulation.

Source: N/A

Share the Road license plates

Illinois, in conjunction with the League of Illinois Bicyclists, offers Share the Road license plates. For more information on such plates please visit: http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/vehicles/license_plate_guide/sharetheroad.html.

Source: 625 Ill. Comp. Stat. §3-689

Vulnerable Road User Laws

Illinois does not define who is a “vulnerable road user,” but protects bicyclists by providing that:

• A person driving a motor vehicle shall not, in a reckless manner, drive the motor vehicle unnecessarily close to, toward, or near a bicyclist, pedestrian, or a person riding a horse or driving an animal drawn vehicle; and
• If found guilty, shall be punished with:
  • A Class A misdemeanor if the violation does not result in great bodily harm or permanent disability or disfigurement to another; or
  • A Class 3 felony if the violation results in great bodily harm or permanent disability or disfigurement to another.

Source: 625 Ill. Comp. Stat. §11-703(e)

Distracted Driving Laws

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

• A person under the age of 19 years who holds an instruction permit, or a person under the age of 19 years who holds a graduated license, may not drive a vehicle on a roadway while using a wireless phone;
• A person, regardless of age, may not use a wireless telephone at any time while operating a motor vehicle on a roadway in a school speed zone, or in a roadway work zone;
• A person may not operate a motor vehicle on a roadway while using an electronic communication device to compose, send, or read an electronic message;
• A school bus driver may not operate a school bus while using a cellular radio telecommunication device; and
• A commercial motor vehicle operator may not use a hand-held mobile phone or engage in texting while driving

Source: 625 Ill. Comp. Stat. §§12-610.1; 12-610.2; 12-813.1; Public Act 097-0829

Where to Ride Law

Illinois requires that a bicyclist, traveling at a speed less than the speed of traffic, must ride as close as practicable to the right-hand edge of the roadway except under any of the following circumstances:

• When overtaking and passing another bicycle, motorized pedal cycle or vehicle proceeding in the same direction;
• When preparing for a left turn at an intersection or into a private road or driveway; or
• When reasonably necessary to avoid unsafe conditions including those caused by a lane that is too narrow for a bicycle or motorized pedal cycle and a vehicle to travel safely side by side within the lane;
• When approaching a place where a right turn is authorized; or
• When upon a one-way highway with two or more marked traffic lanes, in which case a bicyclist may ride as near the left-hand curb or edge of such roadway as practicable.

Source: 625 Ill. Comp. Stat. §11-1505

Sidewalk Riding

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

• A person propelling a bicycle upon and along a sidewalk, or across a roadway upon and along a crosswalk, shall yield the right of way to any pedestrian and shall give audible signal before overtaking and passing such pedestrian;
• A person shall not ride a bicycle upon and along a sidewalk, or across a roadway upon and along a crosswalk, where such use of bicycles is prohibited by official traffic-control devices; and
• A person propelling a bicycle upon and along a sidewalk, or across a roadway upon and along a crosswalk, shall have all the rights and duties applicable to a pedestrian under the same circumstances.

Source: 625 Ill. Comp. Stat. §11-1512

Mandatory Use of Separated Facilities

Illinois does not require that bicyclists use any lane or path other than a normal vehicular traffic lane.

Source: N/A

Bicycling Under the Influence

In Illinois, bicycles are not defined as vehicles. Illinois’s law prohibiting driving while under the influence of alcohol or other controlled substances is written so that it applies to vehicles and therefore does not directly apply to bicyclists. Nevertheless bicycles should not be operated while intoxicated and a bicyclist may potentially be charged with a DUI because bicyclists are subject to the duties applicable to vehicles.

Source: 625 Ill. Comp. Stat. §§11-501; 1-217

“Idaho Stop” and Vehicle Detection Errors

Generally, Illinois 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.

However, in municipalities with less than 2,000,000 inhabitants, after stopping as required, a bicyclist facing a steady red signal which fails to change to a green signal within a reasonable period of time (not less than 120 seconds) because of a signal malfunction or because the signal has failed to detect the arrival of the motorcycle or bicycle due to the vehicle’s size or weight, shall have the right to proceed, after yielding the right of way to oncoming traffic facing a green signal, subject to the rules applicable after making a stop at a stop sign.

Source: 625 Ill. Comp. Stat. §11-306(3.5)

Authorization for Local Regulation of bicycles

Illinois provides that its state traffic laws shall not be deemed to prevent local authorities with respect to streets and highways under their jurisdiction and within the reasonable exercise of the police power from regulating the operation of bicycles and requiring the registration and licensing of same, including the requirement of a registration fee

Source: 625 Ill. Comp. Stat. §11-208

Dooring law

Illinois requires that no person open the door of a vehicle on the side available to moving traffic unless and until it is reasonably safe to do so, and can be done without interfering with the movement of other traffic. In addition, no person shall leave a door open on the side of a vehicle available to moving traffic for a period of time longer than necessary to load or unload passengers.

Source: 625 Ill. Comp. Stat. §11-1407

Treatment as a Vehicle

In Illinois bicycles are not vehicles according to the statute that defines vehicles, but a person riding a bicycle has all of the rights and duties of the driver of a vehicle as provided in the Illinois Vehicle Code, except as to those provisions which by their nature can have no application.

Source: 625 Ill. Comp. Stat. §§1-217; 11-1502

Source of Laws

The laws regulating the operation of bicycles in the state of Illinois are generally found in the Illinois Vehicle Code which is found in Chapter 625 Section 5 of the Illinois Compiled Statutes (Ill. Comp. Stat.), available here http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs3.asp?ActID=1815&ChapterID=49.

Other Resources

The following resources may be useful:

Illinois Bicycle Rules of the Road pamphlet: http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/publications/pdf_publications/dsd_a143.pdf