Riding a Bicycle on the Road
625 ILCS 5/11-1502 — the rights and duties of a driver, and riding to the right when slower than traffic
A person riding a bicycle on a highway has all the rights and all the duties of the driver of a vehicle, except for the special rules for bicycles and the provisions that by their nature cannot apply.
Who handles this in Illinois: Illinois State Bar Association, Illinois Lawyer Finder; and legal aid programs and the state offices, listed in the Illinois directory.
A cyclist going slower than traffic rides as close as practicable and safe to the right edge of the roadway, except when the rider is in one of these situations.
- Passing another bicycle or vehicle going the same way.
- Preparing for a left turn.
- Avoiding objects, vehicles, pedestrians, animals, surface hazards, or a lane too narrow to share safely.
Sources for this section (2)
- 625 ILCS 5/11-1502 — Traffic laws apply to persons riding bicycles
- 625 ILCS 5/11-1505 — Position of bicycles and motorized pedal cycles on roadways - Riding on roadways and bicycle paths
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Illinois attorney.