Buffalo's Summer Bike Safety Guide:Tips for Riders, Drivers, and Anyone Who Loves Two Wheels

Summer in Buffalo means patio season, Friday-night fireworks at Canalside, and — for thousands of Western New Yorkers — bicycles back on the road. Whether you commute by bike, ride the Shoreline Trail with your family on the weekend, or simply share the road with cyclists on your drive home, this guide is for you.

At Collins & Collins, we've represented injured cyclists in Buffalo for decades. Most of the crashes we see are preventable — and many of them happen because someone, on either side of the handlebars, didn't know one small thing. We put together this post to share what we wish every Western New Yorker knew before the riding season ramps up: how to stay safe on a bike, how drivers and passengers can protect cyclists, what New York law actually says about bike accidents, and where to find the best off-street rides in town.

Part One: Safety Tips for Cyclists

Cyclists in New York have the same rights and responsibilities as motorists. That means most of what keeps you safe is also what keeps you legal. A few fundamentals can dramatically reduce both your chance of a crash and the severity of injuries if one happens.

• Wear a helmet — every ride. State law requires helmets for riders under 14, but Erie County requires helmets for cyclists of all ages on county property. Beyond the law, a properly fitted helmet is the single most important piece of safety equipment you own.

• Be seen. Bright colors during the day, reflective gear at dusk, and a white front light plus red rear light or reflector from sunset to sunrise (required under New York Vehicle & Traffic Law).

• Ride with traffic — never against it. Wrong-way riding is one of the most common factors in bike-vs-car crashes. Drivers aren't looking for someone coming the wrong direction out of a driveway or side street.

• Signal every turn and stop. Predictability is your best friend. Drivers can't react to what they can't anticipate.

• Stay out of the door zone. Riding three to four feet from parked cars feels like you're "in the way" — but it keeps you safe from suddenly opening doors. The legal lane belongs to you when it isn't safe to ride to the right.

• Obey traffic signals. Stop signs and red lights apply to you too. Insurance companies will use any violation against you in a claim.

For a printable summary you can tape to your garage, see the cyclist checklist below.

Part Two: For Drivers, Passengers & Pedestrians

Most cyclists hit by cars in Western New York weren't doing anything wrong. They were doing everything right — and a driver, a passenger, or a parked motorist just didn't see them. If you drive, ride along, or get dropped off curbside, you share responsibility for keeping cyclists safe.

Open your car door the Dutch Reach way

"Dooring" — opening a car door into a cyclist's path — is one of the most common and most preventable causes of serious bike injuries. Under New York Vehicle & Traffic Law § 1214, you must not open a door on the traffic side of a vehicle unless it can be done safely and without interfering with traffic. Violating that statute can be negligence per se, meaning the door-opener is legally at fault without any further proof.

The fix is a habit called the Dutch Reach: open the driver's door with your right hand (and the front passenger's door with the left). Reaching across your body forces you to turn your shoulders and look back over the shoulder closest to the door — straight into the path a cyclist would be coming from. Teach it to your kids, your spouse, and your rideshare passengers.

Give cyclists at least three feet when passing

New York requires drivers to leave a safe distance when passing a cyclist. Three feet is the standard — and if you can't give that much space, slow down and wait. A few extra seconds on your commute matters less than a person's life.

Check your blind spots before turning right

The "right hook" crash — a driver turning right across a cyclist going straight — is one of the deadliest patterns at intersections. Mirror, blind-spot check, signal, then turn. Every time.

Part Three: New York Bike Accident Law — What Every Rider Should Know

If you ride in Buffalo, it pays to understand your rights before something goes wrong. The rules below have all come up in real cases we've handled at Collins & Collins.

New York is a "pure comparative negligence" state

Even if you were partly at fault for a crash — say, you weren't wearing a helmet, or you rolled through a stop sign — you can still recover damages. Your recovery is simply reduced by your percentage of fault. If a jury finds you 25% responsible for your injuries and your total damages are $100,000, you'd still recover $75,000. Insurance companies routinely try to overstate a cyclist's share of fault, which is one reason it's so important to have an experienced attorney on your side from the beginning.

You may be covered by the driver's no-fault insurance

Many Buffalo cyclists don't realize this: in New York, if you're hit by a motor vehicle, the driver's no-fault (Personal Injury Protection, or "PIP") coverage typically pays your medical bills and a portion of lost wages — regardless of who was at fault. You don't need to wait for a lawsuit to start getting treatment. But you do generally need to file a no-fault application within 30 days of the crash, so timing matters.

The dooring statute

As noted above, Vehicle & Traffic Law § 1214 squarely puts liability on the person who opens the door. If you've been doored, the person who opened the door — driver, passenger, or rideshare customer — is almost always legally responsible for the resulting injuries.

Helmet laws: the New York rules and the Erie County wrinkle

Statewide, Vehicle & Traffic Law § 1238 requires helmets only for riders under 14. But Erie County's local ordinance goes further: helmets are required for cyclists of all ages on Erie County property. And while not wearing a helmet isn't illegal for adults outside that ordinance, defense lawyers will absolutely try to argue that going lidless makes a head injury partially your fault. Wear the helmet.

Statute of limitations and notices of claim

You generally have three years from the date of a bicycle crash to file a personal injury lawsuit in New York. But there's a critical exception: if the crash was caused by a road defect — a pothole, a missing grate, a poorly maintained bike lane — and a municipality is to blame, you usually have only 90 days to file a formal Notice of Claim. Miss that window and even the strongest case can be lost on a technicality.

E-bikes and Class 3 rules

Pedal-assist e-bikes are now common on Buffalo trails. Class 1 (pedal-assist up to 20 mph) and Class 2 (throttle up to 20 mph) are legal statewide. Class 3 (pedal-assist up to 28 mph) is only authorized in cities with populations of one million or more — meaning Class 3 e-bikes are not legal on Buffalo streets and trails. If you're not sure what class your bike is, check the manufacturer's sticker before your first ride of the season.

Part Four: Five Great Off-Street Bike Routes in Buffalo

The single biggest thing you can do to stay safe on a bike is to ride where cars aren't. Buffalo and its first-ring suburbs have an exceptional network of paved, off-street paths — most of them flat, family-friendly, and shaded. Here are five of our favorites, with direct links to Google Maps in cycling mode.

1. Shoreline Trail (Riverwalk) — Buffalo to Tonawanda

About 8 miles one-way · paved · flat

The crown jewel of Buffalo's off-street network. This paved Empire State Trail section starts near Hertel Avenue in north Buffalo and runs alongside the Niagara River all the way to the City of Tonawanda. You'll roll past Black Rock Canal Park, the Erie Basin Marina views, and finish at Niawanda Park, where there are usually food trucks and live music in summer. A few well-marked, low-traffic street crossings, but otherwise fully separated from cars.

Get bike directions: Open in Google Maps (bicycling)

2. Outer Harbor Greenway & Times Beach

About 3 miles round-trip · paved + stone dust · flat

Lake Erie at its best. The Independent Health Wellness Trail and connecting paths run from the historic Bell Slip up to Wilkeson Pointe, with a side spur to the Times Beach Nature Preserve. Wide-open lake views, public art, and concert lawns in summer. Family-friendly and stroller-friendly. Park at Wilkeson Pointe and ride south, or hop the Queen City Bike Ferry from Canalside.

Get bike directions: Open in Google Maps (bicycling)

3. Jesse Kregal Pathway & Delaware Park Loop

About 5 miles with the park loop · paved · gentle hills

Buffalo's Olmsted park system on two wheels. The Jesse Kregal Pathway (also called the Scajaquada Creek Greenway) connects the Black Rock waterfront to Delaware Park, passing Hoyt Lake, the Buffalo History Museum, the Japanese Garden, and Marcy Casino. Add the loop around Hoyt Lake for a relaxed urban ride entirely off the street grid.

Get bike directions: Open in Google Maps (bicycling)

4. Ellicott Creek Trailway

About 7 miles one-way · paved · flat

A quiet, tree-lined ride through Amherst and Tonawanda that follows Ellicott Creek past the UB North Campus. The eastern terminus sits in Audubon Park; from there you can ride west to Ellicott Creek Park near Niagara Falls Boulevard. Plenty of benches, water fountains, and access points along the way — a great choice when the lakeside trails are crowded.

Get bike directions: Open in Google Maps (bicycling)

5. Tonawanda / North Buffalo Rails-to-Trails

About 5.5 miles one-way · paved · flat

Built on the old NY & Erie Railroad bed, this straight-shot path runs from the LaSalle Metro Station near Hertel Avenue all the way to State Street in the City of Tonawanda. Mostly tree-canopied, almost zero road crossings, and a favorite of north Buffalo commuters and weekend riders. Pair it with the Shoreline Trail for a longer loop.

Get bike directions: Open in Google Maps (bicycling)

Pro tip: when off-street trails connect, you can chain them into half-day rides. The Shoreline Trail and the Tonawanda Rails-to-Trails together create a roughly 25-mile loop through north Buffalo and Tonawanda without ever sharing a lane with a car for more than a block.

Part Five: If the Worst Happens — Steps to Take After a Crash

No matter how careful you are, you can't control the driver behind you. If you're ever in a bicycle accident in Western New York, the choices you make in the first few hours can make or break your case. Follow the steps below — and call us before you call the other driver's insurance company.

INJURED IN A BIKE ACCIDENT?

Collins & Collins offers a free, no-obligation case evaluation — and you pay nothing unless we win.

Call 716-885-9700  ·  collinscollins.com

Buffalo office: 267 North Street, Buffalo, NY 14201  ·  Utica office: 10 Main Street, Whitesboro, NY 13492

Protecting injured Western New Yorkers since 1950.