Louisville Cycling Safety – Bike Lanes and Bike Laws
Kaufman & Stigger, PLLC, represents Louisville cyclists who are seriously injured by the carelessness of local drivers. At-fault drivers need to be held financially responsible for a rider’s full recovery costs and more. Contact our bicycle accident lawyers to schedule a free, confidential consultation. It’s a no-risk way to find out about every benefit available to you as you heal and work towards getting back on your bike.
Do I Need a Lawyer After a Louisville Bicycle Accident?
If your bicycle accident was caused by a reckless motorist and your injuries are serious, it’s smart to have a skilled attorney look over your case.
A lawyer can provide legal protection when car insurance companies try to limit the support they must pay you or try to blame you for what happened.
A lawyer can often secure much more for you than you could if you went ahead with your injury claim alone. This additional money is critical when you suffer injury flare-ups and must stay off your bike for even longer than you first thought.
It’s crucial to have additional support for surgery and physical therapy in the years ahead, ensuring you can continue the rides you love.
Our Louisville bicycle accident lawyers conduct thorough investigations and collect all evidence for your case. Then we get aggressive with car insurers to demand the maximum in compensation possible for our clients.
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“Jacob was amazing every step of the way!! Everyone that works there was amazing, for that matter. I was apprehensive at first about hiring a lawyer, but I don’t regret a single thing now. He always responded to any questions/concerns quickly (which I had a lot - but he always helped put my mind at ease). If you’re in an accident and need a lawyer - this firm is the one to go to.”
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“So I called Kaufman & Stigger because of a major car wreck I was. These AMAZING PEOPLE helped me when I thought I couldn't be helped at all! These guys would get a 10 out of 10 stars if I could give it them. They have helped me pay my medical bills and so much more! Thank you all so much for helping me when no one else would!”
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Louisville Bicycle Accident Statistics
The Vision Zero Louisville Dashboard shows that there were at least 12 bicycle accidents involving a serious injury in the city in 2024. The year also brought a tragic 3 bicycle fatalities. In 2023, the number of serious accidents was lower (11), but the lives lost was double (6 lives).
A KY Strategic Highway Safety Plan released in 2023 found that Kentucky recorded an average of 39 bicycle accidents a year involving a serious injury or fatality. That was determined from data collected over a recent 5-year period (2018-2022).
- The data also showed that hit-and-run crashes accounted for 3% of serious bicycle crashes in our state.
- 1% of serious bicycle collisions occurred on Kentucky roadways with reported speed limits of 35 mph or less
The Types of Bike Paths in Louisville and Kentucky
Cyclists in Louisville have every right to use a normal traffic lane when there are no bike lanes available or if they feel they must take a lane to remain safe. However, in some parts of the city, there are bike trails that allow free-wheeling without having to worry about the rush of traffic. There are also streets that have bike lanes built in, giving riders some extra cushion as they ride along with motorists.
These are the four main types of bikeways in our state according to Kentucky’s Transportation Cabinet:
Bicycle Lanes: These are the normal, narrow bike lanes painted along some Louisville streets. They are only designated by white lines and, in some places, green paint (especially at intersections). They follow the street and don’t have any real buffer between the rider and the cars racing by. You may also see buffered bike lanes. They are similar to normal lanes, but they feature wider painted lines, adding a little more space between riders and traffic.
(Pictured: Bike Lane along Ellison Ave in Louisville)
Separate Bicycle Lanes: These are bike lanes that run along streets. They are like bike lanes, except they are always separated from vehicle traffic by a barrier. The barrier might be cement partitions, parking spaces, or tall, plastic bollards. Separate bike lanes are also referred to as “Cycle Tracks.”
(Pictured: Separate Bike Lane along Ellison Ave near Spratt Street in Louisville)
Shared Lanes or “Sharrows”: These are just normal streets marked with signs and lane markings to remind drivers that they may be sharing the road with cyclists. “Sharrows” are designated with a symbol that depicts arrows above a bike symbol painted on the road surface. It’s a way to catch the attention of drivers in areas where they may have to share their lane with a rider. The term sharrows is derived from the combination of “Share” and “Arrows”.
(Pictured: Sharrow Bike Route Symbol on Market Street)
Multi-Use or Shared Use Paths: There can be many different types of paths that cyclists can use without fear of traffic. The 48-mile bike and pedestrian trail labeled the “Louisville Loop” is a good example. On some bike paths and trails, riders may have to share the path with pedestrians. Converted Rail-Trails and greenways are other Shared Use Paths.
(Pictured: Bridge along the Louisville Loop Bike Path)
Kentucky Bicycle Laws
Bicycles on normal streets and highways are considered vehicles unless otherwise identified in Kentucky statutes. It means that bicycles have the right to the lanes when there are no bike lanes available. Being considered a vehicle also means that cyclists must obey all applicable traffic laws, the same a drivers.
601 KAR 14.020 Section 7. Operation of Bicycles.
“(1) A bicycle shall be operated in the same manner as a motor vehicle, except that the traffic conditions established in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this subsection shall apply.”
Otherwise, if there’s a bicycle lane provided, riders should try to stay in the bicycle lane. However, cyclists may still take over a lane in a few circumstances:
- Preparing for or executing a left turn
- Passing a slower-moving vehicle
- Avoiding a hazard
- Avoiding the door zone of a parked vehicle
- Approaching a driveway or intersection where vehicles are permitted to turn right from a lane to the left of the bicycle lane.
Kentucky Revised Statutes (KRS) and Administrative Regulations (KAR) lay out the other state laws meant to protect cyclists and pedestrians:
KRS 189.340 Three Feet for Bicycle Safety Law
601 KAR 14.020 Bicycle Equipment and Riding at Night
KRS 189.231 Bicyclists Obeying Traffic Signs and Signals & Stopping for Stop Signs
KRS 189.080 Horns and Other Sound Devices
601 KAR 14.020 Section 7 (2). Don’t Ride Two Abreast
Helmet Law: Kentucky has no bicycle helmet requirement for any age. They allow local cities to determine their own laws on helmet use. Louisville does force some riders to wear safety helmets, as you’ll see below.
Louisville Bicycle Laws
Kentucky lawmakers allowed room for cities to add their own requirements and restrictions for riders. Louisville does raise the helmet requirement age in certain locations and adds other rules for cyclists.
These local laws are laid out on the Louisville Government Website:
Louisville’s Additional Bicycle Helmet Requirements:
“You MUST wear a helmet if you are under 18 years old and you are riding in any Metro Park.”
Louisville Riding Bicycles on Sidewalks:
“No person over 11 years of age or older shall operate a bicycle on any sidewalk within the geographical boundary limits of Louisville Metro, and nobody of any age shall ride on the sidewalk downtown.”
Louisville Cars in Bike Paths:
“No person shall operate a motorized vehicle on a designated bike path or bike lane. Metro Government maintenance vehicles are exempted from this regulation.”
Kentucky Bicycle Safety Plans and Louisville Vision Zero
In 2022, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) kicked off a multi-year campaign known as the Statewide Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan. It’s meant to evaluate the infrastructure already in place in Kentucky and to suggest the best ways to improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists.
The initial report showed that Jefferson County had over 5,000 people who either walked or biked to work daily.
As mentioned above, the KY Strategic Highway Safety Plan released data in 2023 as part of the national safety effort known as the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP). It’s meant to identify the Vulnerable Road Users (VRU) on Louisville and Kentucky roadways and find ways to make their trips safer and easier.
Louisville also embraced the national effort to reduce serious traffic injuries and deaths to zero in the future by joining Vision Zero. The plan has been implemented in cities across the U.S. It sets a goal for cities to reach a goal of zero serious accidents in the years ahead. Vision Zero Louisville has set an end date of 2050 to reach zero collisions involving major injuries.
Causes of Bike Accidents
According to the Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center, in 29% of bicycle accidents the bike is hit by a car, and in 7% it is involved in a crash. Common risks for bikers include:
- Car doors: An occupant of a parked car opens a car door directly in the path of a bicyclist.
- Blind spots: A driver changing lanes fails to see a bicyclist in the vehicle’s blind spot.
- Road debris: While a passenger vehicle driver may simply run over debris in the road, it can cause serious and fatal accidents for bicyclists.
- Left turns: A vehicle traveling in the opposite direction fails to register the bicycle in the road and makes a left turn directly in its path.
- Right turns: A driver overtakes a bicycle on the left, and then makes a right turn, cutting the cyclist off and causing him or her to slam into the side of the vehicle.
What Should I Do After a Louisville Bicycle Accident?
The actions you take in the moments after your scary collision might decide if you earn support from a car insurance company or if that insurer will be able to leave you with nothing.
Right after an impact, the best evidence will be available before it’s cleaned up and cleared once officers leave the scene. So, if you are left strong enough and the scene is safe, try to gather details that show how the driver was at fault.
Follow these steps:
- Call for an ambulance if you are injured. Allow paramedics to check out every pain and go to the hospital with them if necessary.
- Get a Louisville Metro Police Response. Tell the officer everything you can remember and help the officer compile an accurate police accident report. It’ll serve as powerful evidence of what happened later.
- Take photos of everything. Use your cellphone to capture images of the damage to your bike and the vehicle. Show any visible injuries. Show the damage to your clothing and a helmet if you were wearing one.
- Don’t say “I’m Okay” or “My Bad” to the Driver at the Scene. You may not know how badly you are hurt at the scene. Allow doctors to determine the extent of your injuries and don’t proclaim that you are unhurt until you know for sure. Never admit fault on the scene. You may have it totally wrong. Allow your lawyer to determine who was to blame.
- Notifying your insurance company. You should inform your own insurance company of the collision right away, even if it wasn’t your fault. Give them the basic facts, and don’t feel the need to give long, drawn-out explanations.
- Visit your own doctor. Even if you’ve already been to the emergency room, schedule an appointment with your own physician. Some injuries aren’t felt on the day of the impact, due to shock. Have your doctor check out every new pain you wake up with. You may be more injured than you think. Follow your doctor’s advice.
- Hiring a personal injury lawyer: Personal injury lawyers are experienced in making sure bicycle accident victims get the restitution they deserve to pay for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. A lawyer can often secure much more in support for bicycle accident victims than they could by filing a claim themselves.
Demanding Support for Louisville Bicycle Accident Victims
Once your case is strong and backed with evidence, it’ll be time to file a claim and alert the insurers to what you’ll expect them to cover.
Creating a complete list of all of your economic and non-economic damages is critical at this point because anything accidentally left off is something the insurer can ignore. Any bill you forget to include becomes an invoice you or your family must pay.
You and your bicycle collision attorney will create this list together to make sure nothing is omitted.
Your claim will include a list of these factors and more that all determine the size of your bicycle accident settlement check:
- Totals on hospital bills already delivered and those expected in the future
- Totals on any physical therapy and rehabilitation, to heal, relearn to use injured limbs, and return to your bike
- The costs you’ll encounter over a lifetime when suffering from a permanent disability
- Full support for the pain you must endure
- Full support for the emotional trauma you endure in the collision and in a long recovery
- Support for the loss of enjoyment of life you experience
- Reimbursement for the income and benefits you lose while you can’t work
- Money for a new bicycle
- Wrongful death benefits for families who lose a loved one to a bicycle collision
Families may file a civil claim to earn important financial support for their hardships now and the hardships they’ll endure in the years to come. This includes assistance paying for a funeral and help with replacing the income the deceased would have continued to provide family members in the future.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if I was not wearing my helmet and I got hit by a car?
Under Kentucky law, if you aren’t wearing a helmet when you were hit by a motor vehicle, you can still get compensation for your injuries. This is because the law looks at which person was negligent and not whether safety laws were followed. A jury might reduce your award if you failed to wear a helmet but usually not prevent compensation altogether.
What If I Can't Afford to Pay a Louisville Bicycle Accident Lawyer?
You don’t have to take any money from your savings to pay a skilled bicycle accident lawyer. Kaufman & Stigger Injury Lawyers works on a contingency basis. It means we don’t get paid unless you get paid. You only pay us if we win your case for you. Even then, our attorney’s fee comes out of the settlement money a car insurance company must provide to you.
If I get hit by someone with no insurance while riding my bike, what do I do?
In some cases, you might have to bear the costs of your injuries yourself if the person has no insurance and no assets to go after. However, if you have your own auto insurance with an uninsured and underinsured motorist’s policy, then you might be able to use this to cover your losses.
Contact a Louisville Bicycle Accident Lawyer
After you or a loved one suffers a serious injury in a bicycle accident caused by a careless driver, talk over your options with a skilled personal injury attorney. Insurance companies sometimes work fast so that you don’t have time to learn about every benefit available to you and your family. They pay you far less than you need, and suddenly, you are left to cover the months of physical therapy bills that remain.
Talk to a Louisville Bicycle Accident Attorney you can trust to be on your side and fight for your fair compensation. To discuss your case in a free consultation with a real, local lawyer, contact Kaufman & Stigger, PLLC today.
Additional Information
- Bicycle vs Pedestrian Accidents
- Dooring Accidents
- Fatal Accidents – Wrongful Death
- Louisville Bicycle Laws
- Lyft Accidents
- Road Rage
- Truck Accidents
- Uber Accidents
- Under and un-insured
- What are the Laws for Cycling at Night in Louisville?
- Safety Laws for Motorists Passing Cyclists in Louisville
- Injured in a Bike Accident Without Helmet in Kentucky
- Louisville Right Hook Bicycle Law
- Do Cyclists or Pedestrians Have the Right-of-Way in a Crosswalk in Louisville?
- Do Bikes Have to Stop at Stop Signs and Signals in Louisville?
- Bicycle Accident Traumatic Injuries
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