Call

Blog

Law
02

Blog

Bike Hand Signals

Before you get a driver’s license, you typically have to take a test that demonstrates your understanding of the rules of the road. This includes the importance of signaling your intentions when you are turning or changing lanes.

Across the United States, bicyclists are required to use signals to let others know what they plan to do. Although these laws regarding bike hand signals are rarely enforced, using hand signals is incredibly important for all bicyclists, as a way to alert others of their intended movements. Learning three basic bike hand signals can protect you from danger and help to prevent bike crashes.

If you aren’t using bike hand signals, now is the perfect time to start. Below, we outline the top three signals that you need to know to stay safe on the road and ensure predicting riding.

Why Are Bike Hand Signals Important?

In 2015 alone, more than 1,000 bicyclists died and almost 467,000 bicyclists suffered injuries in accidents and crashes. While there are many possible causes of these accidents, like potholes and poor road conditions, many crashes occur because of misunderstandings between motorists and cyclists.

Bike hand signals are a way to reduce the risk of being hit by a car. While there is still a chance of a motor vehicle driving carelessly and hitting you while you’re on your bike, signaling your intentions can make this possibility less likely.

Beyond motorists, learning signals is vital to the safety of other bicyclists. If you’re group riding in a peloton or simply in an area where a lot of people are cycling, using hand signals can warn them of your intention to stop, slow down, or turn – giving them the time that they need to react appropriately.

The Bike Hand Signals That You Need to Know


Below are three primary bike hand signals that you should use. For each, make sure that you look back quickly and make eye contact with others on the road. This gives you a better idea of what is happening on the road around you – and increases the likelihood of them noticing your signals.

When possible, signal about 100 feet before you intend to turn or stop. This gives other drivers and cyclists time to react and gives you the chance to put both hands back on the handlebars as you turn or stop. Hold the signal for about 3 seconds before making your turn or coming to a stop.

Left Turn

Left turn To signal a left turn, fully extend your left arm out to your side. Make this signal approximately 100 feet before you turn, to alert others and so that you can get your hands back onto your bike as you turn.


Right Turn

right turn There are two ways to signal e a right turn. The first, and most frequently used, is to simply extend your right arm out to your side – just as you would for a left turn, on the opposite side.

Some states do not allow this type of signal. Instead, to signal a right turn, extend your left arm out to the side and turn your arm up at a 90-degree angle. Whichever method you use, be sure to make the signal about 100 feet before turning, and leave your arm extended for about 3 seconds.


Stop

The most common hand signal used by cyclists is the “stop.” This signal is necessary because – unlike motor vehicles – most bikes don’t have brake lights. To indicate that you are stopping or slowing down, simply extend your left arm out, and bend your arm down at a 90-degree angle, with your hand open.

Hurt in a Bike Crash? Reach Out to the Bike Law Network  Today.

There are few things more devastating to a cyclist than being injured in a bike crash. After being struck by a car, you may be dealing with painful physical injuries as well as ongoing trauma. We can help.

The Bike Law Network isn’t a law firm. Instead, we are a network of independent lawyers and law firms, all of whom share a passion for cycling. Reach out to us today at 1-866-370-8796 to get connected with a Bike Law Lawyer today.

Comments

Ann Groninger Jan 04, 2024

Many of our cycling clients find themselves having to interact with the criminal justice system. Typically, it’s because the driver who hits them (or their family member) is charged with a crime or traffic offense. Occasionally bicyclists themselves are charged with traffic offenses! Every state’s criminal laws are different, but there is a lot of […]

Read More
Bike Crash Road Defect Georgia
Peter Wilborn Jun 14, 2023

We recently shared the story of a trial victory from the State of Texas where a bicyclist was injured due to a defect in a road maintained by the Texas Department of Transportation. Texas Road Defect   We now can tell the story of another huge win in a road defect case, this time from […]

Read More
Road defect dangerous to cyclists
Charlie Thomas Mar 14, 2023

Recently, attorneys with the Bike Law network took a case to a trial against a titan of a defendant: the Texas Department of Transportation. TxDOT was represented by the Attorney General’s Office, one of Texas’ largest legal teams. We had a great client, but it was a tough case to prove. So tough, in fact, […]

Read More
bike path charlotte
Ann Groninger Jan 13, 2023

  2023 got off to a rough start for Charlotte, North Carolina, particularly in the context of road safety. Within about a week, we lost a young woman who was riding her bicycle, a pedestrian killed in the same area of town, and four people were killed in a car wreck on I-85 in the […]

Read More
North Carolina Bike Crash
Ann Groninger Dec 06, 2022

Unless you’re a very recent follower of ours, you’ve heard us talk before about “contributory negligence.” To recap: “pure contributory negligence” is the law in North Carolina and only 3 other states (Alabama, Virginia, Maryland). In pure contributory negligence states, if a person is injured by someone else’s fault and the injured person contributes even […]

Read More
Is It Illegal to Ride Your Bike on the Sidewalk bikelaw
Peter Wilborn Aug 01, 2022

The laws dictating whether you can ride your bike on the sidewalk differ depending where you live. Different states have different laws on this matter, and local ordinances also vary. Let’s take a look at the legal framework behind various state laws related to cycling on sidewalks. The laws of sidewalk-riding can be very complicated […]

Read More
Ebike crash
Bruce Hagen Apr 26, 2022

DRIVER ON METH KILLS 17 YEAR OLD BICYCLIST, BARROW COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY REFUSES TO CHARGE DRIVER WITH FELONY.   On August 23, 2020, at approximately 8:40pm, 17-year old Obianuju Osuegbu was on her way home from her summer job working at a grocery store. She had earned enough money that summer to buy herself a […]

Read More
Stop as Yield
Brian Weiss Apr 25, 2022

Finally, “Stop As Yield” (the much sought after common sense traffic law for bicyclists) is coming to Colorado in 2022, likely July 1st.   Stop as Yield, aka the “Safety Stop” After the Governor Polis signs the law and the Safety Stop becomes effective, anyone who rides a bicycle or scooter on public roads will […]

Read More
Contributory Negligence
Ann Groninger Apr 25, 2022

It took losing at trial and a long appellate process, but it ended in a blow to contributory negligence in North Carolina. We just won an appeal on a bicycle crash case that happened in 2016 and came to us in 2018. The case went to trial during the spring of 2021. Our client was […]

Read More
Load More