Florida Bicycle Accident Laws — Your Rights as a Cyclist and What to Do If You're Hit

Written by the Hughes and Barnard Law Firm, PA marketing team and reviewed by Attorney Howard Hughes to ensure quality and accuracy.

Published 2026 · Hughes & Barnard Law Firm, PA · Jupiter, FL

Florida has more cyclists than almost any other state — and more cyclist fatalities. Palm Beach County, with its year-round riding weather, extensive bike paths, and active road cycling community along A1A and the Legacy Trail, also sees a disproportionate share of serious bicycle accidents. Many of these accidents could have been prevented if drivers — and sometimes cyclists themselves — understood the law.

This post covers the Florida bicycle laws that matter most if you are injured in an accident, and what steps to take to protect your legal rights if a driver hits you on your bike.

Cyclists Have the Same Rights and Duties as Drivers — Florida Statute 316.2065

Florida law is clear on this: a person riding a bicycle on a Florida roadway has all of the rights and duties applicable to the driver of a vehicle. This means cyclists can legally ride on almost all Florida roads (with some limited exceptions on limited-access highways), are entitled to the full use of a travel lane when necessary, and are protected by the same traffic laws that protect drivers.

It also means cyclists have duties: they must obey traffic signals, stop for red lights and stop signs, signal turns, and ride in the same direction as traffic. When a cyclist violates one of these duties and an accident occurs, Florida’s modified comparative negligence law can reduce or eliminate their recovery. This is why understanding your duties as a cyclist is just as important as knowing your rights.

The Three-Foot Safe Passing Law

Florida Statute 316.083 requires drivers to maintain a minimum distance of three feet when passing a cyclist. The law requires the driver to give the cyclist the full three feet — not just attempt to. On roads where three feet of clearance is not possible without crossing the center line, the driver must wait until it is safe to pass before doing so.

Violations of the three-foot rule are one of the most common causes of serious cycling accidents in Florida. A driver who passes too closely — even without making physical contact — can cause a cyclist to swerve and crash. When physical contact is made, the injuries are typically severe. The three-foot rule violation is negligence per se — a statutory violation that establishes negligence as a matter of law in a personal injury claim.

Dooring Accidents — When a Car Door Opens Into a Cyclist

A dooring accident occurs when a driver or passenger opens a car door into the path of an approaching cyclist, striking the cyclist or forcing them to swerve into traffic. Florida law places the duty to check for approaching cyclists before opening a door on the person opening the door. Violations of this duty create liability for the resulting collision. Dooring accidents are particularly common in urban areas with on-street parking — in Palm Beach County, incidents are documented in Lake Worth Beach, Delray Beach, and West Palm Beach.

Helmet Laws in Florida — Adults vs. Children

Florida does not require cyclists age 16 and over to wear helmets. Adults ride legally without a helmet in Florida. However, Florida Statute 316.2065 requires cyclists under 16 to wear an approved helmet while riding.

The absence of a helmet requirement for adults does not mean that helmet use is irrelevant to a legal claim. Defense attorneys in bicycle accident cases sometimes argue that a plaintiff’s failure to wear a helmet contributed to the severity of head injuries — a comparative fault argument. While this argument has limitations (a helmet may not have prevented the specific injury sustained), it is an argument our attorneys are prepared to address proactively.

Bike Lanes and Roadway Rules

Florida requires cyclists to use a designated bike lane when one is available — with several important exceptions. A cyclist may leave the bike lane to pass another cyclist or pedestrian, prepare for a left turn, avoid an obstruction, or when the bike lane is not of sufficient width to ride safely.

When no bike lane exists, Florida law requires cyclists to ride as close as practicable to the right curb or edge of the roadway — but also provides specific exceptions when it is safe to ride in the travel lane: when passing another vehicle, when preparing for a left turn, when the lane is too narrow for a bicycle and a vehicle to travel safely side by side, when avoiding hazards, and when riding in a one-way street with two or more lanes.

What to Do If You Are Hit by a Car on Your Bicycle

Call 911 immediately — get police and EMS to the scene. A police report documenting the accident is critical evidence.
Get medical attention — cyclist injuries are often more serious than they appear immediately after an accident. Adrenaline masks pain. Head injuries are particularly important to evaluate even if you feel okay.
Do not remove your helmet before photos are taken — if your helmet is cracked or damaged, it is critical evidence of the impact force. Photograph everything.
Photograph the vehicle that hit you, including the license plate, the driver's face if possible, the position of both the car and the bicycle, the road conditions, and any physical evidence.

The PIP Gap for Cyclists — Understanding Your Insurance Options

Florida’s PIP (Personal Injury Protection) insurance covers occupants of motor vehicles — not cyclists. This means that if you are hit by a car while on your bicycle, you cannot automatically access the $10,000 in PIP coverage you have on your own car policy to cover your initial medical bills. You will need to use health insurance, pursue the at-fault driver’s bodily injury liability coverage, or make a claim under your own uninsured motorist coverage (which may apply to cyclists in some circumstances).

This insurance gap makes it especially important to pursue your full legal claim against the at-fault driver. Hughes and Barnard handles bicycle accident claims throughout Palm Beach County, Martin County, and St. Lucie County on a contingency fee basis — no fee unless we recover for you.

Hit by a car on your bicycle? Call us for a free consultation.

(561) 296-9400 — Hughes & Barnard Law Firm, PA — Jupiter, FL — no fee unless we win.