GOV
Bicycling Safety in St. Louis
Tips, safety information and resources for bicyclists in the City of St. Louis
Safety Tips
The City of St. Louis takes bicycle safety seriously. By providing well-marked bike routes on City streets and off-street greenways, we hope to contribute to the safety of everyone using City streets. Each bicyclist holds the key to their own safety by being prepared and taking the appropriate safety precautions.
Learn more about bicycling in St. Louis with the brand new Community Briefing Kit! You'll learn more about bicycling safety, health and see examples of bike paths and road markings.
Here are a few tips to keep in mind:
- Riding on Streets: In Missouri, bicycles and motorized bicycles may ride on any street except travel lanes of interstate highways or where prevented by a local law. A good rule of thumb is: 1) If you are old enough to have a driver's license and know the rules of the road, ride on the street. 2) If you're too young to have a driver's license or to know the rules of the road, then ride on the sidewalk.
- Sidewalks: In Missouri, it is against the law to ride a bicycle on sidewalks in a business district.
- Rules and Laws: Bicyclists have the same rules, rights and responsibilities as other drivers. For example, bicyclists must stop at stop signs and drive on the right-hand side of the road.
- Lights and Reflectors: Anyone riding between sunset and sunrise must have a front headlight, rear red reflector or tail light, reflective material or a light on the moving parts of the bicyclist or bike and reflective material or lights on the sides of the bike.
- Brakes: All bikes must have brakes that are in working condition.
- Sidwalks: Bicycles may be ridden on sidewalks except in busy downtown areas and where prevented by local law, such as business districts. Pedestrians have the right of way and bicyclists must alert walkers by voice, horn or bell. Motorized bicycles may not be ridden on sidewalks.
- Signals: Use hand signals for turning and stopping at all times when operating a bicycle or motorized bicycle on Missouri streets and highways. Obey traffic signals, with the exception of when an unreasonable amount of time has passed at a red light and you have fully stopped, then you should wait for a safe break in all types of traffic before proceeding.
The tips above are an overview of the information found at the Missouri Bicyclist and Pedestrian Federation website [mobikefed.org]. Visit the website for complete information and printable documents about bicycling and pedestrian safety laws in the State of Missouri.
Photo and Video Galleries
Video
Bike St. Louis PSA
Streets are for all of us to use. When driving to work, riding a bike to school or walking to lunch, here’s what to expect: Road stripes mean the same thing for all forms of transportation. Solid white lines mean stay in your lane. Dashes mean you can cross if it’s clear. Bike lanes are spaces to ride bikes, so no driving, parking or walking here. On streets with sharrows or no markings, people driving and biking share the same space. Obey traffic laws and communicate through eye contact and signals, especially at intersections!
