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Bicycle Brakes: Must Be Able to Make the Back Tire Skid on Pavement
Question: What are the Ontario bicycle brake requirements, and what fine or driving-record impact could I face if my bike can’t skid the rear tire on dry pavement?
Answer: In Ontario, Highway Traffic Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. H.8 requires a bicycle ridden on a highway to have at least one rear-wheel brake that can make the braked wheel skid on dry, level, clean pavement, and a conviction can be fined under Highway Traffic Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. H.8 from $60 to $1,000 plus applicable surcharges and costs, and may appear on your driving record. Reznik Legal Services provides Ontario paralegal services to help you understand the charge, your options, and next steps for traffic-related matters involving bicycles.
Understanding the Braking Requirements for Bicycles Operated Upon Roadways Including Potential Penalties
Many bicyclists may be surprised to learn that many traffic laws apply specific to bicyclists; including, among others, the requirement that a bicycle have a braking system capable of making the rear tire skid on dry, level, and clean pavement. If charged convicted, a bicyclist will have the charge applied to the driving record (Motor Vehicle Report) of the bicyclist.
The Law
The requirement that a bicycle must have a braking system capable of leaving a skid mark is prescribed per section 64(3) of the Highway Traffic Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. H.8. The applicable penalty upon conviction for a violation is found at section 214(1) of the Highway Traffic Act as section 64(3) is silent about, meaning failing to state, the penalty details. Specifically, section 64(3) and section 214(1) of the Highway Traffic Act state:
Brakes on bicycle
64 (3) No person shall ride a bicycle on a highway unless it is equipped with at least one brake system acting on the rear wheel that will enable the rider to make the braked wheel skid on dry, level and clean pavement.
General penalty
214 (1) Every person who contravenes this Act or any regulation is guilty of an offence and on conviction, where a penalty for the contravention is not otherwise provided for herein, is liable to a fine of not less than $60 and not more than $1,000.
Accordingly, per the general penalty stated within section 214(1) as is shown above, the fine for operating a bicycle without a brake capable of causing the rear tire to skid on dry, level, and clean, pavement is in a range from sixty ($60) dollars to one thousand ($1,000) dollars. Additional penalties will include the statutory victim surcharge plus court cost. Furthermore, although such a charge involves operation of a bicycle, upon a conviction the bicyclist will have the conviction regarded as a driving offence which may result in consequences to automobile insurance rates.
Summary Comment
Operating a bicycle without a proper braking mechanism is risky to the bicyclist and others; and accordingly, the law forbids doing so and imposes a fine of up to one thousand ($1,000) dollars upon a finding of guilty when a bicyclist is charged and convicted.
NOTE: An extensive array of online searches featuring “lawyers near me” or “best lawyer in” frequently indicate a pressing requirement for competent legal support rather than a particular professional designation. In Ontario, “licensed paralegals” are governed by the identical Law Society that regulates lawyers and are permitted to represent clients in specific litigation scenarios. Key components of that role include advocacy, legal analysis, and procedural expertise. Reznik Legal Services provides legal representation within its authorized scope, focusing on strategic planning, evidence preparation, and compelling advocacy designed to achieve prompt and positive outcomes for clients.