- There are seven bicycle laws listed in the New Jersey statutes that all bicyclists should know. Most of these laws were enacted originally in 1951 and are safety issues. They can be found under Title 39 of the New Jersey motor vehicles and traffic regulations. Listed below is a breakdown of what is covered.
- If you ride at night, the bicycle must have lights and reflectors. The bike should have a white light in the front and red light in the rear. Both lights must be able to be seen from at least 500 feet by approaching or following cars. There also should be a red reflector on back that will reflect in an approaching car’s lights from 300 feet away.
- A bicycle should have a bell, horn or another type of noisemaker that can be heard at least 100 feet away. Neither a siren nor a whistle is allowed by the law.
- Make sure your bicycle has brakes. The brakes should be able to stop a moving bike.
- Your bike should have a seat and you have to use the seat. In addition, your feet should be on the pedals and your hands on the handle bars.
- Don’t hitch rides with any other vehicles. This includes both other bikes and motor vehicles.
- Ride to the right and usually in single file.
- All riders under the age of 17 must wear a helmet.
The helmet law is the most recent law passed and the one that receives the most attention. In the case of a violation, the child and parents could be just warned or the parents could be fined $25 for a first offense. A second offense could result in a $100 penalty.
Enforcement of the other laws depends on local police policy. If enforced, the penalties, according to the NJ Statewide Violations Bureau Schedules, could be a fine of up to $54. No citations would affect your driver’s license. According to the State of New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission point schedule, (NJSA), no points are applied against your driver’s license.
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