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Do I need to have lights on my bike at all times or only if I ride at night?

A: Every bicycle needs to be equipped with a light on the front displaying a white light visible from at least 300 feet to the front, and with a red light visible from 300 feet to the rear. However, you can have a reflector in place of the red light as long as it is approved. Having lights on your bike makes you visible to drivers, other cyclists, and pedestrians during any kind of weather. If you do not have lights on your bike and you get into an accident, depending on the circumstances of the accident you may be considered partially at fault. Also, if you do not have a helmet on you can be assessed as comparative fault and your damages will be reduced by your percentage of fault. For example, if you do not have a light or a helmet on and you are hit by a car, a jury may find you at fault. If a jury finds you 40% at fault and awards you $100,000 in damages, you will only recover $60,000 because of the 40% fault. Having lights helps to prevent accidents especially at night or in foggy weather when cyclists are less visible.