Illinois Law Requires A Bike Light - Daylight Savings Time Is A Reminder To Get One If You Don't Have One

Daylight Savings time is in effect again and until the Winter Solstice on December 22nd the days will get continually shorter. Even after the solstice it is many weeks before we get out of long nights and commutes home will again be in daylight. 

Lights Are Important

There is no way around the fact that Illinois bicyclists who commute to work via their bikes will be riding home in the dark. Because of this bike lights are critically important for all bicyclists. A headlight in particular provides the rider greater visibility and makes you more visible to motorists. A simple set of bike lights can categorically affect the risk of getting injured in a bicycle accident. Thinking "well, there's streetlights, I'll be ok" is an unreasonable and unnecessary risk. It is also illegal. 

Illinois Law Requires Lights And Reflectors

Lights for bicyclists riding at nighttime are required by Illinois law. According Section 11-1507 of the Illinois Rules of the Road, bicyclists must have the following on their bikes:

1. A lamp on the front that emits a white light that can be seen for 500 feet; and
2. A red reflector visible from 100 to 600 feet by a car with its headlights on. A rear red light may also be used.

The fact that the law says that a bicyclist may use a rear red light in addition to a rear reflector is probably just due to some less than precise legal drafting. The bottom line is a red reflector AND a rear red light are better than a reflector alone. This is why the Illinois Bicycle Lawyers strongly recommend that all bicyclists use a rear red light in addition to a red reflector and a bright light in the front. 

Jason Jenkins of the Active Transportation Alliance has put together a very helpful and informative short video on bike lights and what a difference they can make. Jason's advice regarding buying the most durable and bright light you can afford is solid advice. No one wants unnecessary expenses, but bike lights can make the difference between getting in a bike crash and getting home safely. 

Illinois Bike Law Attorneys

Keating Law Offices is the premiere personal injury law firm representing victims of bicycle accidents in Illinois. The firm is based in Chicago, Illinois and represents clients throughout Illinois. If you have any questions regarding this post or have a question regarding personal injury law, please contact Illinois Bicycle Attorney Mike Keating at 312-239-6787 (Office) or 312-208-7702 (Nights/Weekends). Our staff and operators are available around the clock. You can also email Mike@KeatingLegal.com 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. All e-mails and phone calls are returned promptly. All initial consultations are confidential and free.

Headlights on Bicycles Required During Nighttime Riding

Last week we saw the implementation of Daylight Savings Time where we "fell back" an hour so that there is an extra hour of daylight in the morning. However, the reverse effect is that we lose an hour of daylight in the early evening at the same time as we are losing almost 1 minute of sunlight every evening until the Winter Solstice on December 21st when the days begin to get longer again. Currently, the sun is setting at 4:35 p.m. and will not set after 5:00 p.m. until January 29th.

The combination of shorter days and the adjustment for Daylight Savings means that Illinois bicyclists who commute to work via their bikes will be riding home in the dark. It is important to note that a headlight not only gives you greater visibility while riding and makes you more visible to drivers, but it is the law. Bicyclists riding at nighttime must have the following on their bikes*:

1. A lamp on the front that emits a white light that can be seen for 500 feet; and
2. A red reflector visible from 100 to 600 feet by a car with its headlights on.
   

Curiously, this Section also provides that a red light visible from 500 feet may be used in conjunction with the rear red reflector. This is somewhat awkward because it would make sense to allow a red light visible from 500 feet instead of a red reflector that may only be visible from as little as 100 feet. I'll give the drafters of this law the benefit of the doubt and conclude that this addition was to encourage bicyclists to use red lights on their bikes. In any event, the law (as well as sound safety measures) require the use of a headlight and a reflector and at least encourages the use of a rear red light. With winter nights approaching, the use of a headlight and a taillight will get you home safely - and legally.

*Section 11-1507 of the Illinois Motor Vehicle Code (a/k/a "The Rules of the Road) reads as follows:

(625 ILCS 5/11‑1507) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 11‑1507)
Sec. 11‑1507. Lamps and other equipment on bicycles.
(a) Every bicycle when in use at nighttime shall be equipped with a lamp on the front which shall emit a white light visible from a distance of at least 500 feet to the front and with a red reflector on the rear of a type approved by the Department which shall be visible from all distances from 100 feet to 600 feet to the rear when directly in front of lawful lower beams of headlamps on a motor vehicle. A lamp emitting a red light visible from a distance of 500 feet to the rear may be used in addition to the red reflector.

If you have any questions regarding this post, Illinois Bicycle Law, or have been injured in a bike accident, please contact Mike Keating at mkeating@keatinglegal.com.