If I Ride My Bike at Night, Am I Required to Have Lights on My Bike?
South Carolina has bicycle laws, and these include specific requirements regarding lights on your bike when you choose to ride at night. The state takes the safety of everyone on the road very seriously, and bike laws are designed to protect cyclists from the often fatal impact of traffic accidents as well as to make our roads safer overall. If a motorist’s negligence leaves you or someone you care about injured in a bike accident, it’s time to consult with an experienced South Carolina bike accident attorney.
The Laws that Apply When You’re on Your Bike
South Carolina laws do not define bikes as vehicles the way some states do, but cyclists are generally granted the same rights that motorists are – and they share the same safety responsibilities. The state’s bike laws include the following requirements regarding lights:
- To ride at night, your bicycle must have a working white light that you keep turned on at the front and that motorists can see from at least 500 feet.
- In order to ride at night, your bicycle must have a red reflector on the back that motorists can see from at least 300 feet. This rear reflector can be paired with a rear red light that motorists can see from at least 500 feet away.
- To ride your bike at night, it must also be equipped with a clear reflector at the front, a clear or amber reflector on the front wheel, a clear or red reflector on the rear wheel, and clear or amber reflectors on the pedals.
If your front lights double as a reflector, the way many do, it serves both purposes and meets the legal standard. These requirements are set by law, and they are also the best way to protect yourself when you ride your bike at night.
If You’re Hit at Night and Your Bike Isn’t Up to Legal Standards
If your bike isn’t equipped with all the necessary lights and reflectors and you’re injured by a negligent motorist in a nighttime accident, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re out of luck in terms of recovering your legal damages. South Carolina allows claimants to seek compensation for the percentage of their losses that the other party is responsible for – as long as they are responsible for at least 51 percent. In other words, if the other driver was texting at the time of the accident and is assigned 80 percent of the fault, you can file a claim against them for 80 percent of your covered losses.
Turn to An Experienced South Carolina Bike Accident Attorney for the Help You Need
The dedicated South Carolina bike accident attorneys at Oxner & Stacy Law Firm LLC appreciate just how serious bike accidents tend to be and will spare no effort in their quest to obtain an optimal outcome for you. Your claim is important, so please don’t wait to contact us online or call 843-235-6747 in Pawleys Island or 843-527-8020 in Georgetown for more information today.