Bicycle Riders

Safe cycling

Whether you are a commuter, on a group ride or riding as a family, bicycle riders are amongst our most vulnerable road users. Between 2019 and 2023, 428 bicycle riders were killed or seriously injured in collisions with motor vehicles on WA roads. The following advice provides guidance on the road rules and on how to stay safe while on your bike.

Be seen 

When riding at night or in weather that reduces visibility, you must have lights and reflectors.

The minimum requirement for lights is:

• a flashing or steady white light on the front of the bicycle; and
• a flashing or steady red light on the back of the bicycle that is clearly visible for at least 200 metres.

The minimum requirement for reflectors is:

• a red reflector on the back of the bicycle that is visible for at least 50 metres in a vehicle’s low-beam headlights;
• two yellow side reflectors on each wheel; and
• yellow reflectors on both sides of each pedal.

Riders are allowed to fit more lights and reflectors to their bike over the minimum requirement. Just make sure you don’t have red reflectors or lights pointing forwards, and your lights aren’t so bright they dazzle other road users.

Clothing:

• Although not mandatory, riders should wear brightly coloured or reflective clothing to increase visibility.

Ride to conditions

• Slow down in wet weather and allow enough distance to brake. Monitor your speed, as riding too fast can put you and others at risk.
• If overtaking pedestrians or other riders, leave a safe distance and enough time to pass.

Sharing roads and paths

• You must give way to pedestrians, including people using mobility scooters, wheelchairs, skates, skateboards, unicycles, children under 12 using wheeled toys (kick-scooters, skateboards, trikes and pedal cars), and riders of low-powered motorised scooters.
• Animals and children can be unpredictable; slow down and ride to the conditions.
• Use your bell/horn to alert other path users before overtaking them.
• Only ride in single file on paths and two abreast (with 1.5m between riders) on roads.
• Although drivers entering or leaving driveways must give way to bicycle riders on the road or path, slow down to ensure the driver has seen you.

Where to ride

Roads:

• Bicycle riders can ride on any road, except:
  • where there is a “no bicycles” sign or road marking
  • on freeways; and
  • in pedestrian malls (unless signposted otherwise).
• You must ride at least 2 metres behind a vehicle.
• Do not pass on the left of a vehicle that is turning left.
• You can use the left lane of a roundabout when turning right, but you must give way to vehicles exiting the roundabout.
• If a marked bicycle lane is present, you must ride in this lane. A bicycle lane will be signposted or have a road marking of a picture of a bicycle and the word ‘lane’ beneath it, for example:   

Paths:

• Cyclists can ride on any path, unless:
  • there is a “no bicycles” sign or path marking, or
  • there is a “pedestrians only” sign or path marking.
• Keep to the left of the path, unless overtaking.
• Only overtake where it is safe to do so (no oncoming pedestrians/riders).
• When riding across a pedestrian crossing, you must:
  • cross from the connected path and not the road;
  • give way to all pedestrians; and
  • slow down to 10km/h or less.

Helmets

In Western Australia (WA), wearing a helmet while cycling is not only a safety measure but also a legal requirement. Helmets are compulsory for all cyclists, and the law mandates that they must meet approved safety standards. Research shows that helmets can reduce serious head injuries by about 69% and reduce fatal head injuries by about 65%. Learn more about the latest helmet requirements. (LINK TO THIS)

Passengers

A bicycle rider must not carry more persons than the bicycle is designed and equipped to carry. However, bicycle riders are permitted to carry children in attached child seats and bicycle trailers, provided each child is wearing a helmet.

Child Seat:

• The bicycle rider must be at least 16 years old.
• The rider must have an uninterrupted view to the front of the bicycle from a normal seated position.
• The rider must have unhindered access to all equipment required to be fitted to the bicycle (bell, brakes etc).
• The child seat must be securely attached to the frame (not the handlebars).
• If the child seat is close to the wheel, it must be fitted with a wheel guard.
• The child seat must have a footrest or other device to steady the child.
• The seat must have a restraint that cannot be easily or accidentally released by the child.
• The seat cannot have any sharp edges or protrusions.

Bicycle Trailer:

• The bicycle rider must be at least 16 years old.
• The passenger must be under 10 years old.
• The trailer must be capable of safely carrying the child.

Bicycles are not permitted to tow other bicycles, vehicles or animals, or be towed.

Bicycle Standards

All bicycles must:

• Have at least one working brake.
• Have an effective warning device (bell, horn or other audible warning instrument) fitted in a convenient position.
• Any load or equipment carried on the bicycle cannot be more than 800mm in width.

Further requirements are specified in Part 11, Division 2 of the Road Traffic (Vehicles) Regulations 2014.

Sharing roads and footpaths

Cycling on the road

• Cyclists can ride two abreast on the road, with up to 1.5m between riders.
• It is illegal to ride less than 2m behind a vehicle.
• Cyclists cannot pass on the left of a vehicle that is turning left.
• Cyclists are not permitted to ride their bikes on freeways or in pedestrian malls.
• Cyclists can use the left lane of a roundabout when turning right but must give way to vehicles exiting a roundabout.

Sharing footpaths

• Cyclists of all ages may ride on footpaths in WA, unless otherwise signed.
• Cyclists must ride in single file on footpaths.
• Pedestrians, including mobility scooters and motorised wheelchair users, always have right of way.
• Cyclists should use their bell to alert other shared path users that a bicycle is approaching.
• Cyclists should use their bell to alert pedestrians/mobility scooter operators/motorised wheelchair users that a bicycle is approaching.
• Drivers must give way to cyclists at driveways, but cyclists should slow down to ensure they have been seen.
• Animals must not be tied to a moving bike.
• Animals and children on footpaths can be unpredictable. Cyclists should slow and cycle to the conditions.
• Cyclists and eRiders no longer need to dismount at pedestrian crossings and can simply ride across. This new rule applies when the rider enters the crossing from the connected path and not the road. Riders must not exceed 10km/h and give way to any pedestrians when riding over the crossing.

For information about motorists' obligations towards cyclists and related offences and penalties, see our page on overtaking.

Visit our Get Streetwise website for quizzes and videos on cycling and sharing the road safely.

Take the Cycling Get Streetwise Quiz

Offences and penalties

Please note: legally speaking a bicycle is a vehicle, so all road laws that apply to vehicles apply to cyclists as well, unless they are expressly excluded. 

Cyclists share the same rights and responsibilities as drivers and must obey the road rules. The following penalties apply to cyclists specifically.

eBikes

eBike rules overview

The major rules that apply to eBikes are:

• Riders must be 16 years or older to use an eBike
• The motor can have a maximum power output up to 250 watts.
• The bike needs human power to make it move - it is not meant to be ridden using the motor alone (like a motorcycle).
• The road rules applying to regular bicycle riders also apply to eBike riders.

Not all electric bicycles sold in WA are legal to ride on WA roads and paths. Always check before you buy. eBikes that don’t meet the requirements for power assisted pedal cycles cannot be legally used on WA roads or paths.

Which eBikes are ALLOWED on WA roads and paths?

Only eBikes that fit within the definition of a ‘power assisted pedal cycle’ are allowed to be used on roads and paths. These are bikes designed to be moved using human power with some assistance from a motor.

Two different rules apply to the power output of legal eBikes:

• It can have an electric motor of up to 250 watts if it complies with European Standard EN 15194 (a Pedalec).
• If it is not a Pedalec, it can have a petrol or electric motor up to 200 watts. 

If an eBike has more than one motor, the limit applies to the total power output of all motors.

On Pedalecs, the power assistance will cut out once a speed of 25km/h is reached.

To see if a bike is a Pedalec, look for a sticker indicating that it complies with the European Standard EN 15194. This is an easy way to make sure that your eBike is allowed to be ridden legally on WA roads and paths.

Which eBikes are NOT allowed on WA roads and paths?

eBikes that don’t meet the definition of a power assisted pedal cycle are not allowed to be ridden on WA roads or paths. This includes any bike that:

• Is mostly designed to be ‘driven’ by the motor instead of using human power.
• Can be ridden using a throttle alone (no human power).
• Has a motor or motors with a power output higher than 250 watts. 

Non-compliant eBikes are considered to be unlicensed motor vehicles under the law. If your eBike doesn’t meet the rules, it may be seized and disposed of by police. You may also be fined $500.

eBikes are not considered to be eRideables (electric rideable devices such as scooters, skateboards etc). eRideables have their own set of rules, which can be found on our eRideables page. 

What are the road rules for riding eBikes on roads and paths?

People riding legal eBikes are generally subject to the same rules as bicycle riders (with the exception that you must be at least 16 years old to ride an eBike). The rules are listed at the top of this page.