Terms Used In Louisiana Revised Statutes 32:329.1

  • Bicycle: means every device upon which any person or persons, if the design accommodates passengers, may ride, propelled exclusively by human power, or an electric-assisted bicycle as defined in this Section, having a saddle or seat for each rider, and having two tandem wheels, either of which is sixteen inches or more in diameter, or three wheels, any one of which is twenty inches or more in diameter. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 32:1
  • Highway: means the entire width between the boundary lines of every way or place of whatever nature publicly maintained and open to the use of the public for the purpose of vehicular travel, including bridges, causeways, tunnels and ferries; synonymous with the word "street". See Louisiana Revised Statutes 32:1
  • Motor vehicle: means every vehicle which is self-propelled, and every vehicle which is propelled by electric power obtained from overhead trolley wires, but not operated upon rails, but excluding a motorized bicycle and an electric-assisted bicycle. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 32:1
  • Operator: means every person, other than a chauffeur, who drives or is in actual physical control of a motor vehicle upon a highway or who is exercising control over or steering a vehicle being towed by a motor vehicle. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 32:1
  • person: includes a body of persons, whether incorporated or not. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 1:10
  • Street: means the entire width between the boundary lines of every way or place of whatever nature publicly maintained and open to the use of the public for the purpose of vehicular travel, including bridges, causeways, tunnels, and ferries; synonymous with the word "highway". See Louisiana Revised Statutes 32:1

A.  Any bicycle when in use at the times specified in La. Rev. Stat. 32:301 shall be equipped with the following:

(1)  A lamp mounted on the front that shall emit a white light visible from a distance of at least five hundred feet to the front.  A generator-powered lamp that emits light only when the bicycle is moving may be used to meet this requirement.

(2)  A lamp mounted on the rear that shall emit either a flashing or steady red light visible from a distance of five hundred feet to the rear.

(3)  A red reflector mounted on the rear and a reflector on each side facing outward at a right angle to the bicycle frame that shall be visible from all distances from one hundred feet to six hundred feet to the rear when directly in front of lawful lower beams of head lamps on a motor vehicle.

B.  A bicycle or its operator may be equipped with lights or reflectors in addition to those required by Subsection A of this Section, except that red lamps and red reflectors shall not be used on the front of the bicycle and white lamps and white reflectors shall not be used on the rear of the bicycle.

C.  A lamp or lamps worn by the operator of a bicycle shall comply with the requirements of Subsection A of this Section, if the lamp or lamps can be seen at the distances specified.

D.  No person shall operate any bicycle on a state highway, parish road, or city street at a time specified in La. Rev. Stat. 32:301 unless such bicycle is equipped with lamps and reflectors to comply with Subsection A of this Section.  Whoever violates this Section shall be subject to a fine of not more than twenty-five dollars which shall include all costs of court.

E.  No retailer, distributor, wholesaler, or manufacturer in this state shall sell or offer for sale any bicycle unless such bicycle is equipped with lamps and reflectors as required by Subsection A of this Section.

F.  This Section shall not apply to operators of bicycles or bicycles while the operator or bicycle is engaged in sanctioned competition races or to bicycles while utilized by peace officers in furtherance of their official duties.

Acts 2011, No. 98, §1; Acts 2011, No. 244, §1.

  Previous section
Next section  
 Subpart A Contents