Bicycle Safety
Life’s a journey, get there safely. Be informed about how to stay safe while riding a bike.
Safety Resources
1. Follow the Rules of the Road
- Ride with traffic and obey the same laws as motorists.
- Use the rightmost lane that heads in the direction that you are traveling.
- Obey all traffic control devices, such as stop signs, lights, and lane markings.
- Always look back and use hand and arm signals to indicate your intention to stop, merge or turn.
2. Be Visible
- Ride where drivers can see you.
- Wear brightly colored clothing at all times.
- At night, use a white front light and red rear light or reflector. Wear reflective tape or clothing.
3. Be Predictable
- Ride in a straight line and don’t swerve between parked cars.
- Make eye contact with motorists to let them know you are there.
- Do not ride on the sidewalk.
4. Anticipate Conflicts
- Be aware of traffic around you and be prepared to take evasive action.
- Learn braking and turning techniques to avoid crashes.
- Be extra alert at intersections.
5. Wear a Helmet
- Make sure that the helmet fits on top of your head, not tipped back or forward.
- After a crash or any impact that affects your helmet, visible or not, replace it immediately.
A bicycle is a vehicle. Bicyclists should ride on the road and follow all regulatory signs and traffic lights. This includes stopping at stop signs, yielding to oncoming traffic, and using hand signals when turning and stopping. Follow these rules when on a bicycle:
- Never ride against traffic. Ride with traffic to avoid collisions.
- Be predictable while biking. Use hand signals to tell other vehicles and pedestrians what you intend to do.
- Bicyclists may use the full lane.
- Always wear a helmet. Helmets reduce the risk of head injury in a bicycle accident.
- Use bike lights and wear reflective clothing at night or when visibility is poor.
For more tips, click here. Watch the League of American Bicyclist’s Smart Cycling videos to prepare yourself for any situation that might arise while you are on a bike.
The use of any controlled access facility by pedestrians, bicycles, hitchhikers, ridden or herded animals and animal drawn vehicles is prohibited.
SOURCE: Minutes of Meeting of Highway Commission, April 14, 1970.
Mississippi Code of 1972
As Amended
SEC. 63-3-207. Applicability of chapter to persons riding bicycles or animals or driving animal-drawn vehicles.
Every person riding a bicycle or an animal or driving any animal drawing a vehicle upon a highway shall have all of the rights and all of the duties applicable to the driver of a vehicle under this chapter, except those provisions of this chapter which by their nature can have no application.
SOURCES: Codes, 1942, Sec. 8149; Laws, 1938, ch. 200; 1983, ch. 350, Sec. 2, effective from and after July 1, 1983.
Mississippi Code of 1972
As Amended
SEC. 63-3-603. Driving on roadways laned for traffic.
(e) Persons riding bicycles upon a roadway shall not ride more than two (2) abreast except on paths or parts of roadways set aside for the exclusive use of bicycles. Persons riding two (2) abreast shall not impede the normal and reasonable movement of traffic and, on a laned roadway, shall ride within a single
lane.
SOURCES: Codes, 1942, Sec. 8187; Laws, 1938, ch. 200; 1977, ch. 321, Sec. 1; 1983, ch. 350, Sec. 3, effective from and after July 1, 1983.
Mississippi Code of 1972
As Amended
SEC. 63-7-13. Requirements as to lighting equipment. (4) Lamps on bicycles. Every bicycle shall be equipped with a lighted white lamp on the front thereof visible under normal atmospheric conditions from a distance of at least five hundred feet in front of such bicycle and shall also be equipped with a reflex mirror reflector or lamp on the rear exhibiting a red light visible under like conditions from a distance of at least five hundred feet to the rear of such bicycle.
SOURCES: Codes, 1942, Sec. 8229-01; Laws, 1938, ch. 200; 1948, ch. 343, Sec. 9; 1956, ch. 381; 1968, ch. 543, Sec. 1, effective from and after passage (approved May 15, 1968).
Mississippi Code of 1972
As Amended
SEC. 63-7-65. Horns and other warning devices.
(3) No vehicle shall be equipped with nor shall any person use upon a vehicle any siren, whistle, or bell, except as otherwise permitted in this section. No bicycle shall be equipped with nor shall any person use upon a bicycle any siren or whistle.
SOURCES: Codes, 1942, Sec. 8250; Laws, 1938, ch. 200; 1994, ch. 324, Sec. 1, effective from and after July 1, 1994
SEC. 63-3-1112. Duty of driver to avoid collision with pedestrian or person propelling human- powered vehicle; warning signal.
Notwithstanding other provisions of this chapter or the provisions of any local ordinance, every driver of a vehicle shall exercise due care to avoid colliding with any pedestrian or any person propelling a human- powered vehicle and shall give an audible signal when necessary and shall exercise proper precaution upon observing any child or any obviously confused, incapacitated or intoxicated person.
SOURCES: Laws, 1983, ch. 350, Sec. 6, effective from and after July 1, 1983
RULE NO.: 941 – 7501 – 09001
Agency: Mississippi Department of Transportation
Agency Effective Date: May 15, 2005 Agency Issued Date: March 8, 2005
Secretary of State Authority Date: May 15, 2005
Supercedes Rule:
Division: MAINTENANCE
Rule Title: Rules, Regulations and Ordinances Governing Use of State Highways of Mississippi
The person to be contacted regarding the proposed rule is: Facility and Records Management Director
Name of person originating the proposed rule: John Vance
Name of supervisor or person who approved the proposed rule: Melinda McGrath
Purpose: To regulate the use of State highways in order that they be preserved for public benefit as intended by law and to carry out the Mississippi Transportation Commission’s agreements with the Federal Government regarding maintenance and preservation of completed highways.
Summary: This rule sets forth the requirements necessary to regulate the use of State highways in order that they be reserved for public benefit as intended by law and to carry out the Mississippi Transportation Commission’s agreements with the Federal Government regarding maintenance and preservation of completed highways.
The portion of the text of interest to the Cyclist or Pedestrian:
Rules, Regulations, and Ordinances
12. The use of any fully controlled access (see definitions) facility by pedestrians, bicycles,
hitchhikers, ridden or herded animals and animal drawn vehicles is prohibited. The use of any such fully controlled access facility by motor bicycles, non-motorized vehicles or any other vehicle unable to comply with the posted minimum speed limit is also prohibited. It shall be unlawful for any person to fish from any bridge, culvert or other structure on a state highway.
Definitions
Control of Access: The condition where the right of owners or occupants of abutting land or other persons to access, light, air, or view in connection with a highway is fully or partially controlled by public authority. Full control of access means that the authority to control access is exercised to give preference to through traffic by providing access connections with selected public roads only and by prohibiting crossings at grade or direct private driveway connections. Partial control of access means that the authority to control access is exercised to give preference to through traffic to a degree that, in addition to access connections with selected public roads, there may be some crossings at grade and some private driveway connections.