Bicycle Laws in New Jersey
In New Jersey, a bicycle is legally considered a vehicle, and therefore has the same rights and responsibilities as other motorists on the road. Bicyclists are required to obey the same traffic laws, and have an equal right to use the roadway.
There are specific regulations to bicyclists that must be followed, however. Title 39 of the New Jersey Motor Vehicles and Traffic Regulation laws says, “every person riding a bicycle on a roadway shall ride as near to the right roadside as practical exercising due care when passing a standing vehicle or one proceeding in the same direction.”
Also, all bike riders and passengers under 17 years old are required to wear a safety helmet that is properly fitted, fastened, and within the federal standards established by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), as per Title 39:4-10.1. This helmet requirement is waived if the bicycle is being operated on a roadway closed to motor vehicle traffic.
New Jersey’s “Safe Passing” Law
While bicyclists on public roads are subject to the same laws as other vehicles, they are also protected by New Jersey’s safe passing law.
Under the safe passing law, drivers who pass a bicyclist on a public road must move over a lane if available. Drivers must also leave at least four feet of space when passing a bike on a single-lane road. If a driver does not have enough room to leave this required space, they must slow down and follow behind the bicycle until they have the space to pass safely.
