Roadwise States Louisiana Driving lessons Bicycles Louisiana driving lesson · Sharing the Road
Bicycles A 3-minute lesson from the Louisiana course. Read the rules and examples, follow the handbook page references, and check your understanding before you move on.
Read time 3 minutes
Course unit Sharing the Road
Checkpoint questions 6
Source pages 83, 84, 85, 103, 104 Bicycles have the same right to the road as cars and must follow the same traffic laws. They're small, quiet and unprotected, so give them room, time and your full attention.
Know the rule
Children under 12 must wear an approved helmet with head straps when riding a bicycle or riding as a passenger on a public road, path or right-of-way.
Handbook p. 83 ↗ 3 feet Minimum distance between your car and a slower bicyclist you're passing
Handbook p. 84 ↗ Passing and following bicyclists: Yield to bicyclists at intersections as you would to pedestrians and vehicles Increase your following distance; bikes stop in less distance than cars Expect riders to move away from the edge to avoid gravel, grates or potholes Don't pass between a bicyclist and an oncoming car; slow down and wait Give riders the entire lane when they pass parked cars Allow extra room when towing a trailer; your air current can upset a rider Never tailgate, and don't blow your horn near bicyclists Handbook p. 84 ↗ Know the rule
Turning left, wait for oncoming bicyclists to pass. Don't swing in front of a bicyclist to turn right; slow down and stay behind them.
Handbook p. 84 ↗ Know the rule
Bike speeds range from under 10 mph to over 35 mph and are hard to judge; use eye contact and good communication.
Handbook p. 84 ↗ Know the rule
Opening your car door into traffic without looking for bicyclists, and causing a collision, is the driver's fault.
Handbook p. 84 ↗ Things that can make a bicyclist swerve: Railroad crossings Metal or grated surfaces Windblasts from trucks on open highways and bridges Wet, windy or icy weather Children who don't know traffic laws Handbook p. 84 ↗ Bicycle laws and safety: Ride on a seat attached to the bike, with no more riders than it's designed for Keep at least one hand on the handlebars at all times Never attach yourself or the bike to a moving vehicle Ride with traffic, as far right as safely possible Ride no more than two abreast, except on bike-only paths At night: a white front light and a red rear light or reflector Handbook p. 103 ↗ Know the rule
A child who weighs less than 40 pounds or is shorter than 40 inches must be secured in an approved restraining seat to ride as a bicycle passenger.
Handbook p. 104 ↗ Put it into practice
You're about to pass a bicyclist on a two-lane road just as a car approaches from the other direction. Don't squeeze between them. Slow down, let the oncoming car pass, then move left and give the rider at least 3 feet.
A useful reminder Bike numbers: helmets under 12, 3 feet to pass, restraining seat under 40 lbs or 40 inches.
Check your understanding Read the question, decide on an answer, then open it to check the explanation. These are Roadwise study questions based on the source handbook.
At what age is a helmet legally required for a child riding or being a passenger on a bicycle? Under 12 years old Under 8 years old Under 16 years old Under 18 years old Answer: Under 12 years old
Louisiana law requires an approved helmet for children under 12 on a bicycle.
Handbook p. 83 ↗ What minimum distance must a car leave when passing a bicyclist? 1 foot 3 feet 6 feet There is no minimum distance requirement Answer: 3 feet
A three-foot passing distance is required between a car and a slower-traveling bicyclist.
Handbook p. 84 ↗ How should a driver treat a bicyclist's right-of-way at an intersection? Bicyclists never have the right of way Only if the bicyclist is a child Like a pedestrian or other vehicle Only on roads with a marked bike lane Answer: Like a pedestrian or other vehicle
Bicyclists have the same right-of-way protections at intersections as pedestrians and other vehicles.
Handbook p. 84 ↗ What common mistake causes right-turn crashes with bicyclists? A bicyclist rides too far to the left A bicyclist signals too early A driver leaves too much following distance Cutting off a cyclist to turn right Answer: Cutting off a cyclist to turn right
Cutting off a cyclist while turning right after overtaking them is a common cause of collisions.
Handbook p. 84 ↗ A child weighing 35 pounds wants to ride as a passenger on a bicycle. What is required? An approved restraining seat Nothing extra is required beyond a helmet The child cannot legally ride as a passenger at all A booster cushion on the rear rack Answer: An approved restraining seat
Children under 40 pounds (or under 40 inches) must use an approved restraining seat as a bicycle passenger.
Handbook p. 104 ↗ If you open your car door into the path of an oncoming bicyclist and a collision occurs, who is considered at fault? The bicyclist, for not braking in time Neither party is at fault The driver who opened the door Both share the fault equally Answer: The driver who opened the door
The handbook states this type of collision is the driver's fault for not checking before opening the door.
Handbook p. 84 ↗ Previous lesson Pedestrians Next lesson Motorcycles About the source Roadwise’s Louisiana course uses the driver handbook edition supplied with this study pack. This lesson cites source pages 83, 84, 85, 103, 104. The linked PDF is a third-party mirror of the handbook, rather than a government-hosted page.
Open the handbook source PDF · View the source edition
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