Washington Bike Laws
Looking for information on Legislation? Check out our Legislative Issues page.
Want a pocket-sized guide to Washington state laws about bicycles? Just ask! If you’re a member of the Bicycle Alliance of Washington you’ll receive one when you renew in 2013. If you want large quantities we’ll request a tax-deductible donation to cover the cost of printing and postage. Contact Elliott, elliottb-at-bicyclealliance.org.
Statewide resources on our site:
- Bike Clubs in Washington: Looking for a club/team to ride with? Check our Bike Clubs in Washington State page!
- Bike Maps in Washington: Plan your bike commute, trip to a local park, or your next adventure on two wheels with the resources on our Bike Maps page!
- Washington State Bicycle Laws
- Washington Bike Plans: Local, regional and state plans for bicycling.
- Bike Blogs in Washington: Check out the list and follow @BikeWAblogs for an RSS feed of posts as they come out.
- Bike-Friendly Washington: Communities, businesses, and universities in Washington state that have earned the Bicycle-Friendly designation from the League of American Bicyclists
Laws
Bicycle safety is important and it is paramount that riders understand and follow the current laws and rules of the road.
- Summary listing of Washington State Bike Laws
- WSDOT: Washington State Bicycling Laws
- State Highways Sections Closed to Bicycles
- Use of Electric Bicycles on Sidewalks/Trails
- Summary listing of Washington State Pedestrian Laws
- WSDOT: Washington State Pedestrian Laws
- Washington State Traffic Laws
- US Law on Bicycles
- Law Enforcement and Bicycle Safety
Helmets
Washington state does not have a statewide requirement to wear a bike helmet. Check the list linked here to know the law in local jurisdictions.
- Helmet Laws by Jurisdiction in Washington State
- Safe Kids USA (choose WA under “Find Coalitions” for a list of organizations around the state that can help with low-cost helmets)
- Helmets in King County (includes list of free/low-cost helmet providers)
- prorider.com (bulk-order low-cost helmets)
Articles, Other Information
- What to do after a crash - Article by Seattle Attorney John Duggan
- Mentoring Motorists - Article by Seattle Attorney John Duggan
If you’ve had a crash
- Article by Seattle Attorney John Duggan: What to do after a crash [PDF]
- Join the Dept of Health’s What to do after a crash [PDF]
We’re building a list of attorneys who specialize in bicycle-related legal opinions. Appearance on this list does not reflect a rating of their legal abilities–we leave that to systems that are set up for it. We list them because they specialize in Washington state bike law.
- John Duggan
206/343-1888
john@dugganbikelaw.com- Harvey Grad
206/275-2923
harv@lawyerseattle.com- Bob Anderton
206/262-9290
bob@andertonlaw.com or www.washingtonbikelaw.com or www.andertonlaw.com
