Here is a selection of current CT state cycling statutes. At the end of each paragraph is the name of the public act that added the law; i.e. P.A. 77-375 is public act 375 passed in 1977.
Note: This list is not intended to be all-inclusive or to take the place of the advice of an attorney, and town ordinances may also apply in some areas.
Sec. 14-212c. Fines doubled for failure to yield right-of-way to a bicyclist. A surcharge shall be imposed equivalent to one hundred per cent of the fine established or imposed for a violation of subsection (e) of section 14-242, section 14-245, 14-246a, 14-247 or 14-247a for such violation when the driver of a vehicle fails to grant or yield the right-of-way to a person riding a bicycle, as defined in section 14-286. (P.A. 98-165, S. 1.)
**NEW!** Excerpt from PA 08-101, signed into law May 27, 2008-
Sec. 14-232 (following are portions relating to bicycles only, the rest is omitted):
Sec. 13. (Effective October 1, 2008) (a) Except as provided in sections 14-233 and 14-234, (1) the driver of a vehicle overtaking another vehicle proceeding in the same direction shall pass to the left thereof at a safe distance and shall not again drive to the right side of the highway until safely clear of the overtaken vehicle; and (2) the driver of an overtaken vehicle shall give
way to the right in favor of the overtaking vehicle and shall not increase the speed of his vehicle until completely passed by the overtaking vehicle. For the purposes of this subsection, "safe distance" means not less than three feet when the driver of a vehicle overtakes and passes a person riding a bicycle.
(b) No vehicle shall be driven to the left side of the center of the highway in overtaking and passing another vehicle proceeding in the same direction unless the left side is clearly visible and is free of oncoming traffic for a sufficient distance ahead to permit such overtaking and passing to be completely made without interfering
with the safe operation of any vehicle approaching from the opposite direction or any vehicle overtaken.
(c) Violation of any provision of this section shall be an infraction.
Sec. 15. (Effective October 1, 2008) The Commissioner of Transportation shall, within available appropriations and in consultation with groups advocating on behalf of bicyclists, develop
and implement a state-wide "Share the Road" public awareness campaign to educate the public concerning the rights and responsibilities of both motorists and bicyclists as they jointly use the
highways of this state.
Sec. 14-240a. Vehicles to be driven reasonable distance apart. Intent to harass or intimidate. (a) No person operating a motor vehicle shall follow another vehicle more closely than is reasonable and prudent, having regard for the speed of such vehicles, the traffic upon and the condition of the roadway or highway and weather conditions, with the intent to harass or intimidate the operator of the preceding motor vehicle. (b) Any person who violates the provisions of this section shall be fined not less than one hundred dollars nor more than three hundred dollars or imprisoned not more than thirty days or be both fined and imprisoned for the first offense and for each subsequent offense shall be fined not more than six hundred dollars or imprisoned not more than one year or be both fined and imprisoned. (P.A. 84-516, S. 6.)
Sec. 14-242. Turns restricted. Signals to be given before turning or stopping. U-turns. Left turns. Right turns when passing bicyclist. (a) No person shall turn a vehicle at an intersection unless the vehicle is in a proper position on the highway as required by section 14-241, or turn a vehicle to enter a private road or driveway or otherwise turn a vehicle from a direct course or move right or left upon a highway unless such movement can be made with reasonable safety. No person shall so turn any vehicle without giving an appropriate signal in the manner provided in section 14-244. (b) A signal of intention to turn right or left shall be given continuously during not less than the last one hundred feet traveled by the vehicle before turning. (c) No person shall stop or suddenly decrease the speed of a vehicle without first giving an appropriate signal in the manner provided in section 14-244 to the driver of any vehicle immediately to the rear when there is opportunity to give such signal. (d) No person shall turn a vehicle so as to proceed in the opposite direction upon any curve, or upon the approach to, or near the crest of, a grade, where such vehicle cannot be seen by the driver of any other vehicle approaching from either direction within five hundred feet, or at any location where signs prohibiting U-turns are posted by any traffic authority.
(e) The driver of a vehicle intending to turn to the left within an intersection or into an alley, private road or driveway shall yield the right-of-way to any vehicle approaching from the opposite direction which is within the intersection or within the area formed by the extension of the lateral lines of the private alley, road or driveway across the full width of the public highway with which it intersects, or so close to such intersection of public highways or to the area formed by the extension of the lateral lines of said private alley, road or driveway across the full width of the public highway as to constitute an immediate hazard. (f) No person operating a vehicle who overtakes and passes a person riding a bicycle and proceeding in the same direction shall make a right turn at any intersection or into any private road or driveway unless the turn can be made with reasonable safety and will not impede the travel of the person riding the bicycle. (g) Violation of any of the provisions of this section shall be an infraction. (1955, S. 1394d; 1963, P.A. 258; 1971, P.A. 66, S. 1; P.A. 75-577, S. 86, 126; P.A. 00-70.)
Sec. 14-286. Use of bicycles and bicycles with helper motors. Regulations re bicycles on bridges. Use of high-mileage vehicles. (a) Each person operating a bicycle upon and along a sidewalk or across any roadway upon and along a crosswalk shall yield the right-of-way to any pedestrian and shall give an audible signal within a reasonable distance before overtaking and passing a pedestrian. Each person operating a bicycle upon a roadway shall within a reasonable distance give an audible signal before overtaking and passing a pedestrian or another bicycle operator. No person shall operate a bicycle upon or along a sidewalk or across a roadway upon and along a crosswalk if such operation is prohibited by any ordinance of any city, town or borough or by any regulation of the State Traffic Commission issued or adopted pursuant to the provisions of section 14-298.
Sec. 14-286a. Rights, duties and regulation of cyclists. (a) Every person riding a bicycle, as defined by section 14-286, upon the traveled portion of a highway shall be granted all of the rights and shall be subject to all of the duties applicable to the driver of any vehicle subject to the requirements of the statutes relating to motor vehicles, except as to those provisions which by their nature can have no application and except that each town, city or borough and the State Traffic Commission within its jurisdiction as provided in section 14-298 shall have authority to regulate bicycles as provided in section 14-289 and said section 14-298, and except as provided by section 14-286c. No parent of any child and no guardian of any ward shall authorize or knowingly permit any such child or ward to violate any provision of the general statutes or ordinances enacted under section 14-289 relating to bicycles. (b) Every person operating a bicycle solely by hand or foot power upon and along any sidewalk or across any roadway upon and along any crosswalk shall be granted all of the rights and shall be subject to all of the duties applicable to pedestrians walking in such areas as provided by the general statutes, except as provided otherwise by any ordinance of any city, town or borough or any regulation of the State Traffic Commission issued or adopted pursuant to the provisions of section 14-289. (February, 1965, P.A. 448, S. 37; P.A. 77-375, S. 2; P.A. 78-331, S. 11, 58.)
Sec. 14-286b. Operation of bicycles; attaching to moving vehicle prohibited; carrying of passengers, packages, bundles and other articles restricted; at least one hand to be kept on handle bars. Operators of roller skates, sleds, skateboards, coasters and toy vehicles prohibited from attaching to moving vehicle.
Penalty. (a) Every person operating a bicycle upon a roadway shall ride as near to the right side of the roadway as practicable, except when (1) making a left turn pursuant to subsection (b) of section 14-241, (2) overtaking and passing another vehicle proceeding in the same direction, (3) overtaking and passing pedestrians, parked vehicles, animals or obstructions on the right side of the highway, and (4) when the right side of the highway is closed to traffic while under construction or repair. (b) Persons riding bicycles upon a roadway shall not ride more than two abreast except on paths or parts of roadways set aside for the exclusive use of bicycles. Persons riding two abreast, as provided in this subsection, shall not impede the normal and reasonable movement of traffic, and, on a laned roadway, shall ride within a single lane. (c) No person riding upon any bicycle, roller skates, sled, skateboard, coaster or toy vehicle shall attach the same or himself to any vehicle moving or about to move on a public roadway nor shall the operator of such vehicle knowingly permit any person riding a bicycle, roller skates, skateboard, coaster, sled or toy vehicle to attach the same or himself to such vehicle so operated or about to be operated, provided any person operating a bicycle solely by foot or hand power may attach a bicycle trailer or semitrailer thereto, provided such trailer or semitrailer is designed for such attachment.
(d) No person operating a bicycle, as defined by section 14-286, upon a roadway, path or part of roadway set aside for exclusive use of bicycles shall carry on such bicycle a passenger unless such bicycle is equipped or designed to carry passengers, provided any person who has attained the age of eighteen years may carry any child while such person is operating a bicycle propelled solely by foot or hand power, provided such child is securely attached to his person by means of a back pack, sling or other similar device. The term "child", as used in this subsection, means any person who has not attained the age of four years. (e) No person operating a bicycle, as defined by section 14-286, shall carry any package, bundle or other article which prevents such person from using both hands in the operation of such bicycle. Each person operating such bicycle shall keep at least one hand on the handlebars thereof when such bicycle is in motion. (f) Violation of any provision of this section shall be an infraction. (February, 1965, P.A. 448, S. 38; P.A. 75-577, S. 109, 126; P.A. 77-375, S. 3; P.A. 98-165, S. 3.)
Sec. 14-286c. Left and right turns. (a) Each person riding a bicycle upon the traveled portion of a highway and intending to make a left turn after proceeding pursuant to the provisions of section 14-244 or subsection (b) of this section, may in lieu of the procedure prescribed by section 14-241, approach as close as practicable to the right-hand curb or edge of the highway, proceed across the intersecting roadway and make such turn as close as practicable to the curb or edge of the highway on the far side of the intersection, provided such procedure is not prohibited by any regulation issued by any town, city, borough or the State Traffic Commission. (b) Each person riding a bicycle upon the traveled portion of a highway and intending to make a right turn may in lieu of the procedure prescribed by section 14-244, before turning and while in motion or if stopped while waiting to turn signal such turn by extending his right hand and arm horizontally with forefinger extended. (c) No person operating a bicycle upon the traveled portion of a highway and intending to make a right or left turn shall be required when making a signal of such intention to make such signal continuously. (P.A. 77-375, S. 4.)
Sec. 14-288. Lights, reflectors and brakes on bicycles. Whistle emitting devices prohibited. (a) Each bicycle operated upon the public highway, during the times or under the conditions as provided in subsection (a) of section 14-96a, shall display a lighted lamp upon the forward part of such bicycle. Such lamp shall, when lighted, emit a white light which in clear weather shall be visible at a distance of not less than five hundred feet in the direction in which such bicycle is proceeding.
Each bicycle shall also, at all times, be equipped with a reflector or reflecting tail light lens, which reflector or lens shall be attached to the rear of such bicycle in such manner as to reflect rays of light thrown upon the same, and such reflector or reflecting tail shall be visible at a distance of not less than six hundred feet from the rear when illuminated by the head lamps of a motor vehicle.
Such bicycle shall also be equipped with reflective material so placed and of sufficient size and reflectivity to be visible from both sides of such bicycle at a distance of not less than six hundred feet when illuminated by the head lamps of a motor vehicle. Each bicycle shall also, at all times, be equipped with a braking device sufficient to enable the operator thereof to stop within twenty-five feet on dry, level and clean pavement when moving at a speed of ten miles per hour. No person shall equip a bicycle with a siren or device which emits a whistle or use a siren or device which emits a whistle while operating a bicycle. (b) Operation of a bicycle in conflict with any provision of this section shall be an infraction. (1949 Rev., S. 2507; 1955, S. 1381d; 1959, P.A. 62, S. 9; P.A. 75-577, S. 111, 126; P.A. 77-375, S. 5.)
Sec. 14-300d. Operator of a vehicle required to exercise due care to avoid pedestrian. Notwithstanding any provisions of the general statutes or any regulations issued thereunder, sections 14-299, 14-300, 14-300b to 14-300e, inclusive, or any local ordinance to the contrary, each operator of a vehicle shall exercise due care to avoid colliding with any pedestrian or person propelling a human powered vehicle and shall give a reasonable warning by sounding a horn or other lawful noise emitting device to avoid a collision. A violation of any provision of this section shall be an infraction. (P.A. 78-309, S. 5.)