Connecticut Department of Transportation

Share the Road CT: Cyclists
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The same laws that apply to motorists apply to cyclists!
On the Road

  • Obey all traffic control devices

  • Use hand signals to indicate stops and turns other users

Always Wear a Properly Fitting Helmet

  • 74% of bicycle fatalities involve a head injury

  • Wear your helmet snug and level, no more than two fingers above your brow

  • Before you get on your bike, put on your helmet, no matter how short the trip

Make Sure That Your Bicycle Is Safe

  • Make sure that tires are properly inflated and that brakes and other running gear,
    like derailleurs, are working properly

  • Loose seats and handlebars are very dangerous -
    check them before you begin your ride, and adjust if needed

Ride with Traffic

  • Always ride on the right side, with the flow of traffic

  • Use the furthest right lane that heads to your destination and
    stay as far to the right as practical within that lane

  • Slower moving cyclists and motorists stay to the right

  • Don’t ride more than two abreast and don’t impede flow of vehicular traffic
    (i.e. when necessary, form a single line to allow
    vehicular traffic to overtake or pass)

Ride Predictably
  • Ride in a straight line
  • Don't swerve in the road or between parked cars
  • Check for traffic before entering streets or intersection
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  • Anticipate hazards and adjust your position accordingly
Be Visible

  • Wear brightly colored clothing that provides contrast

  • Use a white light in front to see and be seen at night

  • Use a red light on the back of your bike or helmet in low light conditions

  • Use reflective tape or clothing

  • Announce yourself by making eye contact with motorists!

Report an Issue
The League of American Bicyclists reports that approximately 50 percent of all bicycle crashes are falls. Falls are caused by such factors as potholes, storm grates, loose gravel or dirt, and near misses with other bikes, cars, and pedestrians.  Currently, crash reports are only submitted to the CTDOT by police for crashes involving a motor vehicle. Thus, most falls go unreported and undocumented and many of the factors that cause falls go unfixed.  

The Connecticut Department of Transportation would like to begin cataloging/documenting some of the hazards to bicyclists that cause falls on the road. Using data collected and through other sources, CTDOT plans to address the most pressing areas of need, with the ultimate goal being to increase bicycle safety by reducing all bicycle crashes on roads (bicycle – motor vehicle crashes, bicycle - bicycle crashes, bicycle - pedestrian crashes, and bicycle-only crashes).
For further information please:E-Mail to: Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator
or write to:Connecticut Department of Transportation
Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator
P.O. Box 317546
Newington, CT 06131-7546