Oregon Bike Law-Bike Lights??

Question

Is it required that you have to wear a helmet or that you have bike lights on your bike? If so do you have to have lights on both the front and back of the bike?(I will be riding around 6am?)

Answer 1

http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/HWY/BIKEPED/d...

Answer 2

In New York (and I would imagine all other states) a white head light and red taillight are required with a half-hour of sunrise and sunset. (even if they weren't required, it would be wise to use them for your own safety) There are a lot of choices with lighting systems; too many to get into too much detail here. Stop in to your local bike shop and they can fix you up.   A reflective vest and reflective leg bands wouldn't be a bad idea either.

Helmet laws vary from state to state. In New York they are required for kids under 14. (although sadly, enforcement leaves a lot to be desired).

Here's a link to Oregon D.O.T. that might be helpful

http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/HWY/BIKEPED/

Answer 3

http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/HWY/BIKEPED/d...

The manual says,

Lights are required by law when riding after dark. You or your bicycle must have a white light visible at least 500 feet to the front, and a red light or reflector visible at least 600 feet to the rear. These are the minimum requirements. More powerful lights will make you more visible to others, and help you see road hazards. A rear light is more visible than a reflector. Front white reflectors are not visible to motorists entering from a side street and do not meet legal lighting requirements.

Helmet

It’s Oregon law: all bicycle riders under sixteen must wear an approved bicycle helmet while riding on a public way. In the past, helmets met voluntary standards like ASTM, Snell, or ANSI. After March 1999, there is a new federal standard developed in cooperation with the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). If your bicycle helmet meets one of the previous standards, you do not need to buy a new helmet. Unless damaged, these bicycle helmets provide sufficient protection for their useful life (usually 3-5 years). When you buy a new helmet look for the label or sticker indicating it meets the CPSC safety standard.