Despite its reputation as the “Big Easy,” the City of New Orleans, Louisiana, (NOLA) is anything but easy or carefree for its bicyclists. Traveling through town by bicycle means putting yourself at risk of suffering serious and potentially fatal injuries in a bicycle accident.

What’s more, the city only has a “silver” ranking from the League of American Bicyclists and has one of the highest bicycle fatality rates of any major city in America.

Of course, that is not to say that people should never travel by bike in New Orleans. Doing so can be a fun way to commute or exercise, but in order to do so safely, it is helpful to know what resources and laws are in place to protect you during your ride.

Facts And Stats About Cycling In New Orleans

Between 2017 and 2021, New Orleans’ bicycle fatality crash rate was 9.9 crashes per one million residents, an 11 percent increase over the city’s rate from 2012 to 2016 and nearly four times the national average of 2.7.

As of October 2023, five bicyclists were killed in bicycle accidents in Orleans Parish, more than one-third of all non-motorist fatalities that occurred throughout the entire state of Louisiana that year. Two of these crashes occurred near St. Claude Avenue, while another two took place on North Claiborne. The fifth occurred on I-10, where a bicyclist was killed in a hit-and-run accident.

Behind New Orleans’ Silver Ranking

A Silver Grade from The League of American Bicyclists reflects a community that has made some investments toward encouraging more residents to bike. However, there is still room for improvement, namely in the form of creating additional infrastructure, encouraging even greater ridership, and passing laws and ordinances that further protect bicyclists.

New Orleans’ Bicycle Safety Infrastructure

New Orleans’ current bicycle infrastructure consists of bike lanes, shared lanes, and off-road trails, each of which offers different advantages to bicyclists:

Bike Lanes

Bike lanes are those located on roads that are open to motor vehicle traffic. However, they are dedicated solely to bicyclists and cannot be used by any motorized traffic, including motorcycles, cars, and trucks. The lanes create physical space between bicyclists and other drivers, reducing the likelihood of a crash.

Shared Lanes

Unlike a bike lane, shared lanes are open to all non-motorized traffic, including bicyclists, pedestrians, rollerbladers, and others. While these lanes still separate motorized vehicles from bicyclists, bicyclists must be careful not to collide with pedestrians or others who are making use of the space.

Off-Road Trails

New Orleans features several off-road trails, dedicated paths that are not accessible to motorized vehicles. Only bicyclists, pedestrians, and other non-motorized traffic may use these paths. They are physically separated from roads, making it practically impossible to collide with cars or trucks. However, it is still possible to collide with a pedestrian or fellow cyclist. 

Other Infrastructure Components

New Orleans features organizations like the New Orleans Bicycle Club, which encourage ridership and create a demand for safer facilities. They can also help raise motorists’ awareness of the prevalence of bicyclists on the road and encourage drivers to remain alert for cyclists when driving.

Common Causes Of Bicycle Accidents

One key factor that contributes to bicycle accidents in New Orleans is drivers’ unwillingness to share the road. Although Louisiana law gives bicyclists the same rights to the road as motorized vehicles,cars and truck drivers can become impatient with cyclists, leading them to ignore a cyclist’s right of way and drive aggressively around them, ignoring safe passing laws.

Another major danger for bicyclists is their low profile and the difficulty some motorists have in seeing them on the road in contrast to another car or truck. It is for that reason that bicyclists should take steps to make themselves more visible to fellow road users by wearing bright clothing and using lights.

New Orleans Bicycle Safety Laws

Under Louisiana traffic law, bicyclists are treated in a similar fashion to motorized vehicles. They have the same rights as drivers and must also follow the same laws. For instance, just as a car or truck driver must obey right-of-way rules and traffic signals, so too must bicyclists. 

However, there are additional laws that pertain specifically to bicyclists that all road users must know, including the following:

Helmet Requirements

Any bicyclist or passenger under the age of 12 must wear a properly fitted safety helmet. While not legally required for those older than 12, every person riding a bike should still wear a helmet, as doing so can prevent serious or fatal head injuries in the event of a collision.

Safe Passing Law

Motor vehicle drivers who overtake bicyclists on the road should give the bicyclist at least three feet of clearance so as to allow enough space to prevent a collision.

Riding To The Right

When sharing the road with other vehicles, bicyclists should ride as far to the right as they safely can. They should not move from that portion of the road unless they are turning left, passing slower-moving traffic, or trying to avoid an obstruction.

Dooring Is Prohibited

One bike-related law that pertains more to drivers than cyclists involves dooring, which occurs when a motorist opens their car door in the path of an oncoming bicyclist. It frequently occurs due to inattentiveness, although some drivers and passengers may do it intentionally. 

Regardless, dooring is illegal, which means motor vehicle occupants must exercise caution and look for approaching bicyclists before opening their car doors.

Cycling Safely In New Orleans

New Orleans has some elements of infrastructure designed to make bicycling in the city safe. However, recent statistics show that the city remains a risky place for people to ride their bikes. 

Bicyclists, therefore, should remain attentive and careful when sharing the road with cars and trucks and remain alert for aggressive actions by motorists. They should always follow the law, including wearing helmets if necessary, to reduce the risk of a collision and accompanying injuries.