Bike Safety

Bicycle safety is a "two-way street".  Both cyclists and motorists must take responsibility for how they use the public roadways. Roadway design, traffic conditions as well as maintenance also play important roles in keeping bicyclists as well as other roadway users as safe as possible.

Washington County has a remarkable variety of roads, from large urban arterials with six-foot wide bike lanes to narrow, rural country roads with beautiful scenery. All of them require riders as well as motorists to adapt to the road and traffic conditions to maximize safety. Bicyclists are required to obey all traffic laws and traffic control devices.

Bicyclists are even more vulnerable to injury than other roadway users, and the consequences of unsafe riding can be serious. Bicyclists must ride defensively at all times, and think about their own level of skill and comfort under different roadway and traffic conditions when choosing where to ride. With attention to safety, bicycling can be a convenient, healthful and environmentally friendly mode of travel that can add an element of fun to any trip!