Georgia Injury Law Blog
The Governor’s Office of Highway Safety kickstarted its nationwide bicycle safety awareness program by making a number of stops across the state of Georgia. Several cities played host to the new public awareness campaign that is focusing especially on bicycle safety in the month of May.
The Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety is commemorating the month of May as National Bicycle Safety Month. As part of the campaign, the Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety conducted a “Capital to Coast 2021” program across the state. This program involved an educational tour that covered 5 cities in Georgia- Atlanta, Athens, Macon, Savannah and Brunswick.
The campaign focused on important bicycle safety issues, including enhancing bicycle helmet usage. The risk of many injuries, especially head injuries in bicycle accidents, can be reduced with the proper usage of bicycle helmets. The Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety has been focusing on increasing awareness of the need for helmet usage and the safe ways of wearing helmets.
The campaign also focused on the “3-feet law” which requires motorists to maintain a minimum of 3 feet distance between their cars and bicycles when they are passing by the bicycles sharing the road with them. Many motorists continue to remain unaware of the law, or choose to ignore it at serious risk to bicyclists who may be involved in accidents with these cars.
According to the Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, there were a total of 20 bicycle accident deaths in Georgia in 2020. The Office has been focusing on a number of other bicycle safety issues. There is a serious need for raising awareness about the safety and rights of bicyclists. This need for this awareness is even more pressing during summer when more numbers of bicyclists are expected on our streets.
It is extremely important for motorists to obey the “3-feet law” whenever you are driving alongside bicyclists, not just during summer but all other times of the year. Driving too close to a bicyclist could startle the bicyclist, which could cause him to fall off his bicycle and result in very serious injuries. Drivers should also avoid other forms of aggressive driving that could be harmful to bicyclists, such as harassing them. These actions can also result in serious injury and also are violations that can be charged as misdemeanor offenses.
Look out for bicyclists when you are opening your car door, and be especially careful when you are near intersections and other dangerous spots that are bicycle accident magnets. Paying a few extra seconds of attention at these spots could help save a bicyclist’s life.
If you or a loved one have been injured in a bicycle accident in the metro Atlanta region or across Georgia, talk to an Atlanta bicycle accident lawyer at the Katz Personal Injury Lawyers, and discuss your legal options for a claim for damages. A bicycle accident claim can help you recover compensation for medical expenses, lost income, diminished earning capacity, pain and suffering and a number of other types of damages. Talk to an attorney at our firm, and ascertain your legal rights.