Sherman Oaks is one of the hundreds of neighborhoods that comprise the city of Los Angeles. Located in the San Fernando Valley and serviced by Ventura Boulevard and other major freeways, it is home to approximately 66,000 people. Residents and visitors can choose to bike or drive to reach the area’s shopping areas, restaurants, and other amenities.

Although California is ranked as the fourth-most bike-friendly state in the country, Sherman Oaks residents should not ignore the risks they face when biking. This community has some infrastructure to make biking easier and safer, but this does not eliminate all the dangers cyclists can face.

Bicycle Safety Stats For Sherman Oaks

Los Angeles County covers a large amount of territory. This may make the 26 bicyclists who lost their lives in accidents in 2022 seem like a small number. However, this makes Los Angeles County one of the most dangerous counties for bicyclists in California. It also has one of the highest bicyclist death rates in the entire nation.

Thankfully, no bicycle accident in Sherman Oaks has been fatal for the past several years. However, hundreds of cyclists in the Los Angeles area are hurt in crashes every year. Injuries can range from minor bumps and bruises to severe organ damage, broken bones, and traumatic brain injuries.

Some of the most common causes of bicycle accidents include drivers who:

  • Cut off bicyclists or fail to yield the right of way
  • Do not check for cyclists before switching lanes or turning
  • Park their vehicles and carelessly open their doors in the path of oncoming cyclists
  • Fail to see bicyclists on the road late at night or in inclement weather

Just because Sherman Oaks did not experience a bicycle fatality accident in the recent past does not mean injury and fatality wrecks can never occur in this community.

Sherman Oaks Bicycle Infrastructure

Sherman Oaks features two roads with designated bike lanes: Woodman Avenue and Moorpark Street. These lanes separate bicyclists from motor vehicles by providing a dedicated lane of travel that is open only to bicyclists. Bicyclists must use these lanes whenever they are available, as they help reduce collisions between cyclists and car and truck drivers.

The area also features a number of bicycle trails that allow bicyclists to access areas of Sherman Oaks and the greater Los Angeles area. These trails include:

  • Los Angeles River Trail
  • Orange Line Bike Path
  • Chandler Bikeway
  • Browns Creek Bike Path

Unlike bike lanes, which are located on roads used by cars and trucks, bikeways and bike paths are physically separated from roads. They provide even greater protection to bicyclists by further reducing the chance of a bike-versus-car or bike-versus-truck accident.

Los Angeles County intends to invest heavily in making the area safer and more accessible for bicyclists by adding additional paths, lanes, and other infrastructure. However, Sherman Oaks is not slated to receive any additional improvements or infrastructure at this time.

Bicycle Safety Laws In Sherman Oaks

Because of its location, Sherman Oaks bicyclists and motorists must follow California bicycle safety laws as well as applicable city ordinances. Five essential safety laws that should be on every person’s mind when they travel on Sherman Oaks’ roads are:

Bicyclists Have The Same Rights and Responsibilities As Motorists

All bicyclists must obey the same traffic laws that drivers must follow. This includes following traffic lights, obeying traffic signs, and adhering to the right-of-way rules that motorists follow. Motorists must also treat bicyclists as they would drivers of motor vehicles and not cut them off, push them out of lanes of traffic, or ignore them when they have the right of way.

Riders Must Cycle With Traffic And To The Right

Bicyclists must ride with traffic and not against it. If riding slower than surrounding traffic, they must ride as far to the right as possible. Riders who are able to keep up with other vehicles on the road can ride in whatever lane they choose. However, if a particular street has a dedicated bike lane attached to it, bicyclists should use this lane.

Bike riders can share a lane with a motor vehicle if there is sufficient space to do so. Otherwise, they are entitled to occupy a single lane of travel like any other car or truck on the road.

Some Bicyclists Must Wear A Helmet

Any bicycle rider or passenger under 18 must wear a properly fitted and approved helmet. Individuals 18 years of age or older can choose whether to wear a helmet. Helmets can prevent serious head injuries in a crash, so bicyclists of all ages are strongly encouraged to wear one, even if they are not legally required to do so.

Riding On Sidewalks Depends On Local Laws

Cities and local communities decide whether to allow bicyclists to use sidewalks instead of roads. In Los Angeles, you can ride your bicycle on the sidewalk in any area so long as there is no sign specifically prohibiting it. If you do use the sidewalk, remember to yield the right of way to pedestrians.

Drivers Must Respect The Safe Passing Law

In 2022, California supplemented its existing three-foot safe passing law, requiring drivers of motor vehicles to move into an adjacent lane when passing a bicyclist whenever possible. If they cannot safely or legally perform this maneuver, motorists should give a bicyclist at least three feet of clearance when overtaking them.

Bike Safely In Sherman Oaks

Bicycling anywhere in Los Angeles County has its risks, and biking in Sherman Oaks is no exception. The neighborhood features some bike lanes along major roads and several off-road paved trails, but this only reduces the risks bicyclists face. This infrastructure does not completely eliminate the chance of a bicycle crash.

Following bicycling laws and wearing a helmet are two significant ways that cyclists can reduce the chance of sustaining serious or fatal injuries in a crash. These measures take on added importance given the fact that Los Angeles County does not appear poised to make significant investments in bicycling infrastructure in Sherman Oaks in the near future.