A person riding a bicycle on a Texas road has the rights and duties of a driver, except where a bicycle provision changes them. When a car strikes a cyclist, fault is assigned as a percentage, and Texas cuts a recovery by the injured person’s share of responsibility and bars recovery above 50 percent. The sections below set out the rules a cyclist, a driver or an insurer will check first.
The short version
- Same rules, with exceptions. A cyclist has the rights and duties of a driver unless a bicycle provision changes them, or a driver duty cannot by its nature apply to a bicycle (Transportation Code § 551.101(a)).
- Right edge by default. A slower bicycle rides as near as practicable to the right curb or edge, with four listed exceptions for passing, preparing to turn left, a road condition that prevents safe riding at the edge, and a narrow outside lane (§ 551.103(a)).
- Drivers have duties too. A driver must go around a bicycle on the left at a safe distance and control speed to avoid colliding with a person or vehicle that is on or entering the highway in compliance with law (§§ 545.053(a), 545.351(b)(2)). After an injury collision, the operator must stop, give information and aid, and report immediately (§§ 550.021(a), 550.023, 550.026(a)).
- Fault is a percentage. A claimant whose share exceeds 50 percent may not recover, and a lesser share reduces the damages (§§ 33.001, 33.012(a)).
- Time to file. The general limit for a bodily-injury suit is two years from accrual, and the statute lists its exceptions (§ 16.003(a)).
Do cyclists have to follow the same traffic laws as drivers in Texas?
Yes, with bicycle-specific exceptions. Transportation Code § 551.101(a) gives a person operating a bicycle the rights and duties applicable to a driver operating a vehicle under the subtitle, unless a provision of the chapter alters one of them or a driver duty cannot by its nature apply to a bicycle.
The two exceptions are written into Chapter 551 itself. The first is a bicycle provision elsewhere in the chapter that changes a right or duty. The second is a driver duty that cannot apply to a person operating a bicycle. Subsection (b) says a parent of a child or a guardian of a ward may not knowingly permit the child or ward to violate the subtitle, which matters when the rider is a minor.
For people on foot, see our pedestrian accident page, and for a Sugar Land pedestrian injury, see our Sugar Land pedestrian injury article. For crashes involving motorcycles, see our motorcycle accident page.
Where should a cyclist ride on a Texas road?
As near as practicable to the right curb or edge, whenever the cyclist is moving slower than the other traffic. Section 551.103 allows a cyclist to leave that edge for passing, for preparing to turn left, for a road condition that prevents safe riding at the edge, or in an outside lane under 14 feet wide with no adjacent bicycle lane, or too narrow to share with a motor vehicle.
The table lists each situation and its subsection in Transportation Code § 551.103.
| Situation | What the statute allows | Subsection |
|---|---|---|
| Moving slower than other traffic | Ride as near as practicable to the right curb or edge | (a) |
| Passing another vehicle moving in the same direction | May leave the right edge | (a)(1) |
| Preparing to turn left at an intersection, or onto a private road or driveway | May leave the right edge | (a)(2) |
| A condition on or of the roadway prevents safe riding next to the right curb or edge | May leave the right edge | (a)(3) |
| Outside lane under 14 feet wide with no adjacent bicycle lane, or too narrow for a bicycle and a motor vehicle to safely travel side by side | May leave the right edge | (a)(4) |
| One-way roadway with two or more marked lanes | May ride as near as practicable to the left curb or edge | (b) |
| Riding with others | Two abreast is allowed. On a laned roadway they must ride in a single lane, and they may not impede the normal and reasonable flow of traffic | (c) |
For scale, TxDOT’s 2024 Texas Motor Vehicle Traffic Crash Facts count 78 pedalcyclist fatalities in Texas in 2024, a 26.42 percent decrease from 2023.
What equipment does Texas require on a bicycle?
A bicycle may not be operated unless it has a brake capable of making a braked wheel skid on dry, level, clean pavement. A bicycle ridden at night also needs a white front lamp visible from at least 500 feet and either a red rear reflector of a type approved by the department or a red rear lamp, under Transportation Code § 551.104.
The night rules are in § 551.104(b), and the two rear options differ. A reflector must be visible when directly in front of lawful upper beams of motor vehicle headlamps from all distances from 50 to 300 feet to the rear of the bicycle. A rear lamp must emit red light visible from a distance of 500 feet to the rear.
Lighting and equipment can matter in a claim. Keep the bicycle and helmet as they were after the crash, and photograph the lights, until the claim has been reviewed.
What does a driver owe a cyclist on the road?
A driver passing a bicycle must pass on the left at a safe distance and not move back until safely clear (§ 545.053(a)). A driver may not go faster than is reasonable and prudent, and must control speed to avoid colliding with another person or vehicle on or entering the highway in compliance with law (§ 545.351).
Both duties sit in Chapter 545. Section 545.351(a) sets the general limit: a driver may not go faster than reasonable and prudent for the conditions then present. For one common distraction, see our article on texting and driving in Texas.
A separate offense covers a driver who injures a cyclist within a crosswalk. Under § 545.428(b), a person commits an offense by, with criminal negligence, driving a motor vehicle inside a crosswalk’s area and causing bodily injury to a person operating a bicycle. The base grade is a Class A misdemeanor, and it rises to a state jail felony when the cyclist suffers serious bodily injury (§ 545.428(c)). Subsection (d) provides an affirmative defense if, at the time of the offense, the cyclist was violating a provision of Subtitle C (rules of the road) relating to walking, movement, or operation in a crosswalk or on a roadway.
What must a driver do after hitting a cyclist?
The driver must stop right away, as near the scene as possible, identify the operator by name and address, report the vehicle’s registration number, name the liability insurer, and provide reasonable assistance to anyone injured. The driver must also give immediate notice of an injury collision to police by the quickest means, under Transportation Code §§ 550.021(a), 550.023 and 550.026(a).
Chapter 550 places these duties on the operator of the vehicle, a duty that also includes showing a driver’s license if requested and available. The table lists each duty with its section in Chapter 550.
| Duty | Who it falls on | What the statute requires | Section |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stop at the scene | The operator of the vehicle | Stop at once at the collision scene, or as near it as possible, and stay until the information duty is met | § 550.021(a) |
| Give identifying details | The operator of the vehicle | Operator’s name and address, the vehicle’s registration number, and the liability insurer’s name; a driver’s license shown if requested and available | § 550.023(1)-(2) |
| Give aid | The operator of the vehicle | Reasonable assistance to any person injured in the collision | § 550.023(3) |
| Report to police | The operator of the vehicle | Immediate notice by the quickest means: the local police department inside a municipality; outside one, the local police department or sheriff’s office within 100 feet of the limits, or otherwise the sheriff’s office or the nearest office of the department | § 550.026(a) |
| Officer’s written report | The investigating officer | A written report if the crash hurt someone or killed someone, or if damage to any one person’s property has an apparent extent of $1,000 or more | § 550.062(a) |
For requesting the crash report, see our page on requesting an accident report copy, and for the first steps after a crash, see first steps after a car accident. For witnesses, see our piece on why witnesses are important.
What does the police report show, and why do early details change?
Early police descriptions of a crash can change. In March 2023 ABC13 reported that Houston police first described a Westheimer Parkway crash as a fatality, then backtracked a day later, and that a 21-year-old woman was hospitalized in critical condition.
The ABC13 report, published March 15, 2023, describes a bicycle on its side behind a stopped SUV in the 1800 block of Westheimer Parkway, near Freedom Park. It says the SUV’s driver, a 69-year-old woman, showed no signs of intoxication, police said, and was questioned and released. The article says the motorist “wasn’t immediately facing charges.”
Those were early statements from police, and the article does not report a final finding. Compare any early account with the officer’s final report when it arrives. A FOX 26 Houston report published February 8, 2026 on a 14-year-old hit by a Jeep Wrangler while riding a bicycle across State Highway 6 in northwest Harris County draws the same line: the driver stayed and cooperated, officials said the driver was not intoxicated, and no one involved had yet been identified. Keep your own photographs, the witnesses’ names and the time and place of the crash; for the shots worth taking, see our guide on photos after a crash. For insurer tactics, see our article on strategies insurers use after a car accident.
How is fault divided when a car hits a bicycle?
Texas assigns percentages of responsibility to the people involved in a crash. A claimant whose share exceeds 50 percent may not recover, and otherwise damages are cut by the claimant’s percentage, under Civil Practice and Remedies Code §§ 33.001 and 33.012(a).
The proportionate responsibility chapter governs a tort action in which a percentage of responsibility is found (§ 33.002(a)(1)), and § 33.001 applies that percentage to the claimant. For the same rule, see our comparative negligence article.
For insurer delay, see our note on how Houston insurers stall injury claims. For claim value, see our Houston car accident claim value article.
Who pays when a car hits a cyclist in Houston?
A driver’s liability coverage pays for harm the driver causes, up to its limits, and Texas requires at least 30/60/25: $30,000 per injured person, $60,000 per accident and $25,000 for property damage. The cyclist’s own policy may add medical payments, personal injury protection or uninsured motorist coverage, depending on its wording.
The minimums come from TDI’s consumer guide to auto insurance, last updated December 11, 2025. The guide says liability coverage pays the other driver’s car repairs and the other driver’s and passenger’s medical bills, and some other expenses, if you caused the accident. It says medical payments coverage pays your and your passengers’ medical bills, and also pays if you are hurt while walking or biking. It describes personal injury protection as similar, but says it also pays lost wages and other nonmedical costs.
Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage pays when the other driver has no insurance, or not enough to pay your medical and car repair bills. The guide says it also pays in a hit-and-run accident, and adds that it will not pay for a hit-and-run crash that was never reported to police. For how these claims work, see our explainer on UM and UIM claims, the hit-and-run claims page, and our Houston hit-and-run article.
Whether a cyclist is covered depends on the policy. The guide says most policies cover the policyholder, family members and anyone driving the car with permission, and that coverages vary by policy. Read the declarations page, ask the insurer in writing what it has provided, and remember that declining PIP or uninsured motorist coverage requires written notice to the company. Before giving a recorded statement, read the adjuster advice article, and check the note on sharing medical records before signing a release. For whether an insurance claim needs a lawyer, see this article on attorneys and insurance claims. For a hit-and-run in Houston, see the steps after a hit-and-run.
How long do you have to file suit after a bicycle crash?
Generally two years. Civil Practice and Remedies Code § 16.003(a) lets a personal injury suit be filed within two years of accrual, with Sections 16.010, 16.0031 and 16.0045 listed as exceptions, so confirm the deadline against the facts of your case.
Section 16.003(b) covers an injury that results in death. The two-year period is measured from the date of the injured person’s death, the point at which the claim accrues for that action. The exceptions in Sections 16.010, 16.0031 and 16.0045 cover trade secret misappropriation, asbestos- and silica-related injuries, and claims arising from certain offenses. The deadline limits when suit can be filed, and for the pace of a claim, see our article on the timing of Texas injury claims.
If a driver hit you while you were riding in the Houston area, the bicycle accident page and the Houston car accident page describe how those claims are pursued, and the Houston personal injury attorneys page covers the wider practice. The cost of a Houston accident lawyer and five questions to ask before hiring are useful when comparing firms, and a cyclist can describe what happened through the contact page.
Frequently asked questions
What should you do after a bicycle accident?
Get medical care for any injury first. If you can, collect the driver’s name, address, registration number and liability insurer, which Transportation Code § 550.023 requires the driver to give. Take photographs of the car, its license plate, the bicycle and the roadway, write down witnesses’ names, and keep the bicycle and helmet unchanged until a claim has been reviewed.
Why do I need a bicycle accident lawyer?
A claim can involve the driver’s insurer, the cyclist’s own policy and a dispute over fault under Civil Practice and Remedies Code § 33.001. A lawyer can review each coverage and the filing deadline.
Who is at fault in a car bike accident?
Fault is decided on the facts of each crash. Texas assigns each person a percentage of responsibility, and a claimant whose share exceeds 50 percent cannot recover under § 33.001.
Does medical payments coverage pay if I am hurt on a bicycle?
The state’s consumer guide to auto insurance says medical payments coverage pays when you are hurt while walking or biking. Whether a particular policy applies depends on its wording.
How many cyclists were killed on Texas roads in 2024?
Texas recorded 78 pedalcyclist fatalities in 2024, a decrease of 26.42 percent from 2023, according to TxDOT’s 2024 Texas Motor Vehicle Traffic Crash Facts, which reflect reports received as of April 9, 2025.
About the authors
Sam A. Maida, Jr.
Owner and Managing Attorney
Sam A. Maida, Jr. has represented injured Texans in the greater Houston area since the firm opened in 1993.
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Bernard G. Johnson III
Litigation Managing Attorney
Bernard G. Johnson III is a board certified trial lawyer licensed in Texas since 1996 and a graduate of South Texas College of Law.