Children, Parents and Bicycle Safety in Indiana

Bicycles operating on roadways and bike trails in Indiana are required to follow the rules of the road like other vehicles. Indiana Code § 9-21-11 et. seq. Parents are responsible for seeing that their children are instructed in the safe operation of bicycles, and that their children obey the rules of the road. In particular, Indiana Code § 9-21-11-1 deals with a parent’s responsibility to see that a child follows the general rules of the road pertaining to motor vehicle, and the special rules pertaining to bicycles and provides that “the parent of a child … may not authorize or knowingly permit the child … to violate” Indiana law governing safe bicycle operation. Aside from the general rules of the road, here are some bicycle rules found at Indiana Code § 9-21-11-3 through 10 which every person operating a bicycle must know:

-A person propelling a bicycle may not carry any other person upon the bicycle who is not seated upon a firmly attached and regular seat on the bicycle.
-A bicycle may not be used to carry more persons at one time than the number for which the bicycle is designed and equipped.
-A person upon a bicycle, a coaster, roller skates, or a toy vehicle may not attach the bicycle, coaster, roller skates, or toy vehicle or the person to a street car or vehicle upon a roadway.
-A person riding a bicycle upon a roadway may not ride more than two abreast except on paths or parts of roadways set aside for the exclusive use of bicycles.
-A person who rides a bicycle may not carry a package, a bundle, or an article that prevents the person from keeping both hands upon the handlebars.
-A bicycle operated on a highway from one-half hour after sunset until one-half hour before sunrise must be equipped with the following: (1) A lamp on the front exhibiting a white light visible from a distance of at least five hundred (500) feet to the front; (2) A lamp on the rear exhibiting a red light visible from a distance of five hundred (500) feet to the rear or a red reflector visible from a distance of five hundred (500) feet to the rear.
-A person may not ride a bicycle unless the bicycle is equipped with a bell or other device capable of giving a signal audible for a distance of at least one hundred (100) feet.
-A bicycle must be equipped with a brake that will enable the person who operates the bicycle to make the braked wheels stop on dry, level, clean pavement.

If you have a question about bicycle safety or suffer a bicycle collision related injury, please feel free to call our office for advice.