{"id":1382,"date":"2025-01-26T18:34:00","date_gmt":"2025-01-26T18:34:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cochranfirm.com\/philadelphia\/?p=1382"},"modified":"2025-01-28T12:03:25","modified_gmt":"2025-01-28T12:03:25","slug":"what-drivers-need-to-know-about-biking-laws","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cochranfirm.com\/philadelphia\/what-drivers-need-to-know-about-biking-laws\/","title":{"rendered":"What Drivers Need to Know About Biking Laws"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Thousands of cyclists are injured each year in <a href=\"https:\/\/cochranfirmphiladelphia.com\/auto-accidents-how-much-should-i-settle-for\/\">automobile accidents<\/a>. Furthermore, because of the obvious size and weight difference between a bike and car, many of these <a href=\"https:\/\/cochranfirmphiladelphia.com\/philadelphia-wrongful-death-lawyer\/\">accidents are fatal<\/a>. In 2022, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nhtsa.gov\/road-safety\/bicycle-safety\">1,105 bicyclists<\/a> were killed in traffic accidents. The majority of these fatal incidents occurred at intersections.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Whether you\u2019re a cyclist or a driver, you should do your best to stay informed about the rules and regulations pertaining to bicycles on public roadways. Doing so will help you to keep both yourself and those around you safe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Bicycles Are Considered Legal Vehicles<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Bicycles are considered <a href=\"https:\/\/www.penndot.pa.gov\/TravelInPA\/active-transportation\/Pages\/Bicycle-Safety-and-Pennsylvania-Laws.aspx#:~:text=Pennsylvania's%20Vehicle%20Code%20considers%20%22pedalcycles,with%20certain%20exceptions%20discussed%20below.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">legal vehicles<\/a> in all 50 states. This means cyclists are held to the same standard as everyone else when operating their vehicles; they must obey traffic lights, signs, and crosswalk signals in the same way as other vehicles.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The rules state that cyclists in Philadelphia must also:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Keep off sidewalks while riding (unless they\u2019re younger than 13)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Travel in the same direction as traffic, unless there\u2019s a specifically marked contraflow lane or a two-way bike lane<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Signal properly when making a turn or changing into a different lane.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Cyclists <em>are <\/em>allowed to ride two-abreast in cycle lanes. As long as they\u2019re in an official bike lane, cyclists can travel alongside one another without breaking the rules.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Also, cyclists aren\u2019t required to remain in a bike lane just because one is available. Motorists frequently block cycle lanes, so cyclists are free to go around them if necessary.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For more specifics on bicycle laws in the area, visit the City of Philadelphia\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.phila.gov\/departments\/department-of-streets\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Department of Streets website<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Avoiding \u201cDooring\u201d Accidents<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cDooring\u201d accidents occur when drivers exit their cars without paying attention to passing cyclists. This is a special situation in which the automobile driver bears the sole legal responsibility; it\u2019s up to drivers and their passengers to ensure they can safely open their doors without endangering cyclists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>According to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.welovecycling.com\/wide\/2019\/02\/06\/dooring-is-way-more-dangerous-than-you-think\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">We Love Cycling<\/a>, specific statistics on dooring are often hard to come by due to vague reporting techniques used by police departments. However, it does cite one report out of Chicago, which estimated that close to one-fifth of collisions involving cyclists over the course of a year were related to dooring.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019ve been injured in a dooring accident as a cyclist, you may be entitled to sue the driver of the car involved or the individual who opened the door. To learn more about how the rules are likely to apply in your case, you should <a href=\"https:\/\/cochranfirmphiladelphia.com\/contact-us\/\">schedule a free initial consultation<\/a> with one of the road accident attorneys at the Cochran Firm in Philadelphia.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Other Tips for Keeping Cyclists Safe as a Driver<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>As a car user, it\u2019s always important to remember how vulnerable cyclists are compared to you. Even the slightest impact can cause a cyclist to lose control and suffer serious injuries.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Remember:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Drivers turning right must yield the right of way to a cyclist proceeding straight on.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A driver can merge into a bike lane in order to make a turn, but must do so safely and yield to bicycles occupying the lane.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Pennsylvania is the only state which has a four-feet passing law on the books under all circumstances. This means that if you need to pass a cyclist, you as the driver are required to ensure at least four feet of distance between your vehicle and the cyclist.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">No One Is Negligent by Default in a Bicycle Accident Case<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s true that drivers should be especially cautious when there are cyclists on the road. Too often, cyclists are side-swiped or hit due to a distracted or impaired driver.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, that\u2019s not the case for every bicycle accident. Cyclists have responsibilities on the road, just like drivers. If a cyclist fails to uphold their duties and causes an accident as a result, they may be liable for any consequent damages.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As in every kind of <a href=\"https:\/\/cochranfirmphiladelphia.com\/philadelphia-car-accident-lawyer\/\">road accident case<\/a>, decisions around who\u2019s at fault will depend on the available evidence. The key consideration in an accident involving a bicycle often relates to right of way.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Say, for instance, an accident takes place at an intersection with traffic lights. If it\u2019s clear that a cyclist ran through a red light directly before the collision, they are likely to be held liable.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Contact Us Today<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019ve been knocked off your bicycle by a negligent driver, you\u2019re entitled to seek compensation. Cars don\u2019t own the road, and drivers shouldn\u2019t be allowed to cause injury with impunity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Of course, conversely, if you\u2019ve suffered damages because of a reckless cyclist, you may also be entitled to compensation. Cyclists have a responsibility to behave safely on the road, just as drivers do, and they should have to face the consequences of ignoring that responsibility.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When you are the victim of serious injury or illness, you deserve someone on your side who is both intimately familiar with state and federal laws and fully devoted to helping you pursue maximum compensation. Contact us today to schedule your free case evaluation by filling out our online form or calling 800-969-4400.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Thousands of cyclists are injured each year in automobile accidents. Furthermore, because of the obvious size and weight difference between a bike and car, many of these accidents are fatal. In 2022, 1,105 bicyclists were killed in traffic accidents. The majority of these fatal incidents occurred at intersections.&nbsp; Whether you\u2019re a cyclist or a driver, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","_seopress_analysis_target_kw":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1382","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cochranfirm.com\/philadelphia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1382","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cochranfirm.com\/philadelphia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cochranfirm.com\/philadelphia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cochranfirm.com\/philadelphia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cochranfirm.com\/philadelphia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1382"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.cochranfirm.com\/philadelphia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1382\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cochranfirm.com\/philadelphia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1382"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cochranfirm.com\/philadelphia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1382"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cochranfirm.com\/philadelphia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1382"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}