Although the roadways throughout Georgia are becoming safer for bicyclists, thanks to the addition of trails and clearly marked bicycle lanes on certain roads, accidents between bicycles and motor vehicles still occur far too frequently.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 1,000 cyclists died in crashes with motor vehicles in the United States in 2015 and another 467,000 injuries occurred to cyclists. In Georgia in 2016, 29 bicyclists suffered a fatality after a collision with a motor vehicle, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA).
Frequently, a cyclist suffers significant injuries in this type of crash, resulting in large medical bills and a loss of income while the victim recovers from his or her injuries. If this happened to you, and if the driver was at fault for the crash, consider hiring Ghai Law Firm. Our Acworth bicycle accident lawyer is ready to defend your right to seek damages. Call (770) 792-1000 for a free case review today.
Specific Laws to Protect Bicyclists in Georgia
According to Georgia law, cyclists are expected to follow all traffic laws. When riding on the roads and sharing them with motor vehicles, the cyclist will be safer riding in the same direction as traffic.
Under that directive, drivers have an obligation to follow several state laws that address how motor vehicles and bicycles should behave together on the roads. If a driver fails to obey any of these laws, resulting in a crash with a bicycle, this could be a negligent act on the part of the driver.
Some of the laws include:
- Aggressive driving: where a driver cannot operate the vehicle with the intent of intimidating, obstructing, or harassing a bicyclist or other drivers.
- Reckless driving: where a driver cannot operate the motor vehicle in such a way that it shows a disregard for the safety of others in the area, including cyclists.
- Maintaining a safe distance: where the driver must maintain at least three feet of open space between his or her car and the cyclist when passing the cyclist on the road, according to O.C.G.A. § 40-6-56.
- Yielding to bicycles: where the driver must yield to a bicyclist who is riding in a marked bicycle lane, according to O.C.G.A. § 40-6-55.
Proving a Driver Negligent for Your Bike Accident
The key component to receiving a favorable judgment in your personal injury case involves showing that the other driver behaved in a negligent manner before the crash. This simply means that the driver could have taken a different action, and that the different action could have prevented the accident.
If the insurance company is contesting that its driver was responsible for causing the accident in which you, as the bicyclist, suffered an injury, you and your Acworth bicycle accident lawyer can use the facts in the case to attempt to show that the driver deserves to be held liable for the crash and for your injuries.
The team at Ghai Law Firm will begin working on your case as soon as you choose to retain us. We know the importance of investigating the case as quickly as possible, while the facts are still fresh in the minds of witnesses. For a free review of your case, call us at (770) 792-1000 today.
For a free legal consultation with a bicycle accidents lawyer serving Acworth, call (770) 792-1000
Frequency of Bicycle-Motor Vehicle Crash Situations
According to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), there are a couple of situations that lend themselves to an increased danger of a crash between a car and a bicycle.
- About 57% of all bicycle-car crashes occur when the two are crossing paths.
- About 36% of these crashes occur when both are moving in the same direction.
- About 7% of bicycle-car crashes occur because of other circumstances.
Common Causes of Car Bicycle Accidents
When a cyclist finds himself or herself in the following types of situations, the cyclist should take extra care and be prepared for an unexpected move from the driver. These situations include:
- Failure to yield to a bicyclist: where the driver makes a left or right turn without seeing a bicyclist in the driver’s turn path.
- Merging into a bicyclist’s path: where the driver drifts out of his or her lane, moving too close to a bicyclist and possibly bumping into the bike.
- Cutting off a bicycle: where a driver passes a bicycle on the road but moves back to the right too quickly, leaving the cyclist with nowhere to go.
- Opening a car door: where a driver parked on the side of the road does not check his or her rear mirrors before opening a car door to exit the vehicle, pushing the open door directly into the path of a bicyclist.
In some circumstances, a driver could cause an accident for a cyclist without ever touching the bicycle. When the driver cuts off the bicycle or loses lane integrity and drifts toward the path of the bicycle, the cyclist could lose control and exit the roadway, resulting in a crash while the driver continues down the road.
Acworth Bicycle Accident Lawyer Near Me (770) 792-1000
Contact the Office of a Bicycle Accident Attorney in Acworth for Help Today
One reason why you may want to hire an Acworth bicycle accident lawyer to represent you in a personal injury case is to receive compensation that you deserve to help with your medical bills. If you did nothing wrong to create the situation that led to the crash, you should not have to pay these bills on your own.
Another good reason is to hold a driver who behaves in a negligent manner responsible for his or her actions. Without the implications of a lawsuit, the driver may not own up to his or her actions, meaning the driver could continue behaving in the same reckless way behind the wheel, potentially hitting another bicyclist or pedestrian on the roads.
At Ghai Law Firm, we will treat your case with the urgency that it deserves. Under Georgia’s O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33, the victim in a personal injury lawsuit has up to two years from the time of the injury to begin the process, unless special circumstances exist. We will ensure your personal injury lawsuit remains on track, hitting all deadlines. For a free consultation, contact us at (770) 792-1000 today.
Call or text (770) 792-1000 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form