Just last week, a bicyclist was killed in an accident in Richmond County. That death followed another bicycle accident in which the bicyclist suffered serious personal injuries. There were thirty-seven accidents involving bicyclists in Richmond County last year. Out of these, one ended in a death. In 2011, there have been thirty bicycle accidents, with more than four months to go to the end of the year. If things continue in the same vein, then Richmond County looks sets to beat the fatality toll in 2010. 

Unfortunately, as with motorcycle accidents and pedestrian accidents, most bicycle accidents also occur as a result of motorist error or negligence. A bicycle has a narrow frame, and a person driving an automobile is likely to miss a person riding a bike unless he is being alert and vigilant. Unfortunately, as Atlanta bicycle accident lawyers notice, there are far too many motorists who don't bother to stay alert and look out for bicyclists. 

This is in spite of the fact that Atlanta is seeing an increase in the number of bicyclists. Bicyclist numbers have increased further in recent weeks because of the increase in gas prices. Additionally, there is now a nationwide focus on reducing obesity through activities like bicycling and walking. The result has been an increase in the number of people biking across Atlanta.

Other accidents occur because motorists did not notice the bicyclist until it was too late to avoid an accident. In such cases, Atlanta bicycle accident lawyers often find that motorist distractions were a factor in the accident. There are more numbers of distracted drivers in the United States now than there have ever been in our country's history. People distracted by smart phones or texting devices, or by any number of distracting activities, are less likely to see a bicyclist until it is too late.

Besides, Atlanta bicyclists face dangers from intoxicated motorists, and speeding drivers. A motorist driving under the influence of alcohol is less likely to spot a bicyclist in time. Speeding drivers may not be able to avoid a serious accident with a bicyclist.

In an accident involving a bicyclist and an automobile, it is the person on the bike who has a serious risk of being injured or dying in the accident, which is all the more reason why drivers need to be alert for bicyclists at all times.

The Atlanta bicycle accident attorneys at the Katz Law Firm represent persons injured in bicycle accidents in the metro Atlanta region and across Georgia.

The poll results have been published in the British Medical Journal Blog, and show that the majority of people prefer not to have mandatory bicycle helmet laws because they discourage bicyclists. According to respondents, people should be encouraged to ride bicycles, and mandatory bicycle helmet laws do the opposite. They discourage people from taking to what is essentially a very healthy activity.

68% of the respondents in the poll were against mandatory bicycle helmet laws. Not only do they believe that this would discourage bicycling, but they also felt that there wasn't enough evidence to show that wearing a bicycle helmet significantly protects a bicyclist from injury during an accident. They believe that bicyclists believe that mandatory bicycle helmets would discourage female bicyclists, typically some of the least likely to take to cycling.. Additionally, mandating bicycle helmets for all would discourage bicycling in many people who'd otherwise be able to enjoy a cheap and affordable means of transportation. Overall, most of the respondents in the survey believe that mandatory bicycle helmet laws do not reduce bicycle accident-related injuries, but reduce bicyclist numbers. Some respondents even believe that mandatory bicycle helmet laws give the wrong impression that biking is a dangerous activity.

As Atlanta bicycle accident attorneys, we have some serious problems with the results of this poll. The Bridge Medical Journal does not specify the demographics of the people who were polled as part of the study. However, we hope that bicyclists in Atlanta have more sense than this. To say that bicycling is not a dangerous activity at all would be foolhardy. The fact is that most of Atlanta’s streets are designed for the convenience and safety of motorists, and bicyclists constantly face the threat of death and injuries in accidents. In any accident involving a bicycle and an automobile, it is the person riding a bicycle with a much higher risk of suffering serious or even fatal injuries. 

This summer, we would like to see more people in Atlanta making the conscious decision to wear helmets while riding. A helmet may be inconvenient, and unfashionable, but it may save your life in an accident.

This is a growing problem in Georgia, where in 2008 motorcycle driver deaths has increased by 59 percent since 2004. As a remedy, Governor Nathan Deal signed into law last week a bill aimed to protect them, while simultaneously granting respite to sympathetic drivers who nevertheless feel a modicum of nervousness when inching by a motorcycle or bicycle.  

House Bill 101 requires drivers to give cyclists at least 3 feet of space. Before last week, motorists had only to maintain an arguably ambiguous “safe distance” when passing. Now, those same motorists will have to actually cross the yellow line to comply with the law.

The 3-foot requirement was actually an afterthought of sorts, tacked on at the last minute by Senator John Albers. According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, he was inspired to do so by Kathy Serrano, widow of cyclist Tony Serrano who was killed in 2004 by a car in Gwinnett County, and by concerns for his own children, who are avid bike riders. He also aimed to encourage the exercise of generally safer driving practices: violation will result in heavy fines or jail time.

Beginning July 1, Atlanta bicycle accident attorneys will be more cognizant of this legislation as well, especially when pursuing lawsuits involving bicycle/vehicle collisions. Whereas the "safe distance" requirement was vague, this new law, which serves as a deterrent, also suggests more specificity in terms of liability.

There's no doubt that a pedestrian in Atlanta is at serious risk of injuries in an accident. For example in Georgia, pedestrian accidents make up just 1% of all traffic accidents, but these deaths account for 10% of all traffic accident fatalities every year. 

Few cities in the country have the kind of congested traffic that Atlanta has, and pedestrians and bicyclists have a big role to play in relieving some of this traffic. It's the reason why Atlanta bicycle accident lawyers believe in the need to encourage bicycling and walking as sustainable, efficient, and most importantly, safe means of transportation. However, encouraging biking in Georgia has been an upward climb, because of the high risk of injuries to bicyclists here. 

Unfortunately, in Georgia, pedestrian accidents and bicyclist accident accidents are part of the risks from walking or biking.  However, that risk can be reduced. In 2010, Georgia adopted the Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Action Plan that includes a number of measures aimed at increasing safety for bikers and pedestrians in the state. For instance, the plan would invest in educating transportation professionals on bicycle design and pedestrian safety, as well as increasing the number of crosswalk enforcements. The plan would also identify pedestrian and bicycle accident hotspots across Georgia, and look into the installation of safety features that could prevent these accidents. The Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Action Plan needs to be implemented in its entirety as quickly as possible.

The year's peak cycling season is here, and many Atlantans are out on their bicycles. By law, Atlanta bicyclists must bike on the road, and not on a sidewalk. That means they share the roads with motorists who must, accommodate these bikers.

Last week, an elementary school teacher was left with injuries after her bicycle was struck by a car. The impact was serious enough to break the car’s side view mirror, but the driver drove off from the scene of the accident. Fortunately, the woman did not suffered life altering injuries. What makes this accident even more ironic was that the woman had recently been elected to the Board of Directors at Bike Cobb, a bicycle safety advocacy group that lobbies for better bicycling roads and safety. On the day of the accident, in fact, the victim was on her way to her first meeting as a board director.

Atlanta bicycle accident lawyers always encourage bicyclists to wear helmets as an essential safety precaution while bicycling. However, sometimes it seems like we put much of the onus for safety on bicyclists, while neglecting to acknowledge that most bicycle safety concerns can be eliminated when motorists look out for bikers. Bicycles are easy to miss because of their narrow frame, but that isn't an excuse in Atlanta where the numbers of bicyclists have swelled dramatically over the past decade. Law enforcement in Atlanta must take bicyclist safety concerns into consideration over the next few months to reduce accident risks.

House Bill 180 requires motorists to pass at a safe distance from a bicycle. The term “safe distance” is defined as 3 feet. Across Georgia, bicyclists have been exposed to accident and injury risks from motorists “buzzing” past them. These risks would be avoided if the bill is passed. Although the risks that come when motorists pass too close to bicycles are common knowledge, few states have laws in place that prevent motorists from such behavior. In fact, only 16 states in the US have laws that establish a specific distance that motorists must maintain from a bicycle. Georgia, if it approves the law, would become one of the states that prioritize bicyclist safety.

This piece of legislation is one of several bicycle safety bills that are currently pending in the Georgia Assembly. Another bill, House Bill 101 defines bicycle lanes and establishes the installation of bicycle lanes to national guidelines. The bill would also require motorists to yield to bicyclists. Yet another bill, House Bill 71 would allow Georgia residents to petition their local administrations to allow them to bicycle on sidewalks. Under current laws, only children below the age of 12 can ride bicycles on sidewalks. Riding on the sidewalk may help prevent serious bicycle accidents.

The study was conducted at the University of Rochester, and found that older people have impaired activity in the medial temporal visual area of the brain. This part of the brain suppresses movement in the background, so that the person can focus clearly on objects in the foreground. In elderly people, this section of the brain may be impaired. They may find it easy to perceive movement in the background, but not so easy to see objects that are in the foreground. That is why Atlanta car accident attorneys so often find elderly motorists involved in accidents with pedestrians and bicyclists.

The researchers used a technique called Transcranial Magnetics Stimulation, which involved attaching a magnetic card to the subject’s head, and measuring the activity of the MT area of the brain. The MT area was stimulated using electrical signals, and the researchers analyzed how well the subjects in the study identified the movement of objects. They found that when the MT area of the brain was impaired, the person could readily and easily identify objects in the background.

These results provide clues to at least one of the issues that affect elderly drivers, and also suggest that these drivers may be distracted by objects in the background because of impaired MT area activity as a result of their age. As Atlanta car accident lawyers, we believe that these results can be used to fine-tune driving programs for elderly motorists.

The training program is available for free online, and consists of 36 slides, all containing bicycle safety instructions. There are interactive videos and quizzes designed to make the process fun. The program's focus is on defensive driving tips for bicyclists, and includes modules on bicycle safety checks before you ride. This is something a lot of bicyclists, especially beginners, neglect to do. It's important to know that your bicycle is primed and ready for a ride and that brakes and quick releases are all functioning properly.

Athens has a large concentration of bicyclists who will find this program useful, but a safety program like this is recommended not only for bikers in Athens, but elsewhere across Georgia. It's not likely that experienced bicyclists, who have been biking for years, will find the safety modules interesting or useful. However, for novice and beginner bicyclists who very often get involved in accidents, the online safety program offers easy tips and helpful advice.

In fact as Atlanta bicycle accident lawyers, we would highly recommend that a program like this be made available to all novice bicyclists across Georgia. It should also made part of the curricula in schools. Currently, all bicyclists have to do is buy a pair of wheels, and they are set to go. This can be dangerous, because the streets out there are not exactly friendly to bicyclists. But bikers often realize this only after an accident.

Atlantans will have to get used to more numbers of bicyclists over the next few months as cycling season hits us in earnest. For those bikers who are new to Atlanta streets, it's very important that you get familiar with the challenges before you.

You're in luck, however. May is Bicycle Safety Month, not just in Atlanta, but across the country. That means plenty of bicycle promotion and safety awareness programs going on near you.

The risk of accidents is not something that bicyclists want to think about, but the fact is that these occur very frequently on Atlanta streets. Bicycling Magazine has brought out a list of some of the most frequent bicycle accident situations. The list features five of the most common bicycle collisions, and also recommends steps cyclists can take to avoid accidents like these.

From hitting a car backing out of a parking lot to being struck by a driver overtaking you the wrong way - new bicyclists are likely to find several challenges. We would recommend reading the list, and absorbing the safety tips these professional bicyclists have provided.

As Atlanta bicycle accident lawyers, there are some things that we would like bicyclists to remember.

·        Remember that motorists may not always be able to see you. For instance, the glare of the summer sun may prevent a motorist from noticing your narrow bicycle. Make sure you're as visible as possible. Wear brightly colored clothing. Wear reflective clothing at night. Stick reflective strips on your bike.

·        Be especially careful while passing multi-exit parking lots to avoid hitting a car driving out of a lot.

·        Avoid riding on sidewalks.

·        Avoid distracted riding. That means no listening to the iPod or talking on your hands-free set while cycling.

Education and exposure to bicyclists and safety programs makes for a safer environment for both bikers and motorists. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is promoting the month of May as Bike Safety Month. The League of American Bicyclists is the official sponsor of this campaign, which will run through this month.

Any program that aims to spread the message of safe bicycling and increases awareness among motorists and bicyclists alike, will have the support of Atlanta bicycle accident lawyers. There is a series of events and programs lined up across the month, in the city of Atlanta. Here's a look at just some of the events lined up for longtime bikers, as well as new bicyclists.

There will be a bike advocacy team meeting on May 10. This will be followed by a bike rally and bike rodeo on May 15. On May 19, bicyclists across the city will take part in the Ride of Silence to commemorate those bicyclists killed in accidents. On May 21 is the high point of the program, Bike to Work Day. On that day, teams of professional bicyclists will ride to work to demonstrate the conveniences and joys of a bike commute. Finally on the 26^th, there is a special workshop on Bike Maintenance for Dummies. The program will cover basics, like how to fix a flat tire and identifying bike parts.

So if you’ve considering abandoning your car and biking for the low-cost, green fun of it, this is the time. You're not likely to find a more encouraging time to take bicycling, with so many experienced and professional bicyclists only to eager to help out. Check out the calendar at Atlanta Bicycle Coalition for a listing of all events in the metro Atlanta area. If you are outside the Atlanta region, check out the League of American Bicyclists website for a bicycle safety program near you.

Bicycle Safety Tips for Children

A tragic bicycle accident last week in south Fulton County killed a nine-year-old boy. The tragedy is a reminder of the risks to Atlanta’s children as summer creeps up on us.

More children can be expected to take to their bicycles as the weather gets warmer, and as Atlanta bicycle accident lawyers, we are concerned at the possibility of accidents involving kids on bicycles. There is much that parents can do to encourage safe bicycling habits in their children.

·        Insist on your children always wearing helmets. Get involved in buying a good quality, strong, sturdy helmet manufactured by a reputed company. The helmet must fit your child properly, because he's more likely to take off an ill fitting helmet. According to studies, three out of every four bicycle accident injuries can be prevented if the bicyclist had been wearing a proper helmet at the time of the crash. In fact, the single most important safety tip you could teach your child is to wear a helmet while bicycling.

·        Make sure that your child is riding a bike that is in prime condition.

·        Look out for bicycle training programs for children in your Atlanta neighborhood. Law enforcement agencies and community groups tend to have such programs during this time of the year.

·        Make sure your kid knows about the basic safety rules to follow on the road – no speeding, trying stunts, or double riding.

·        Make sure your child is dressed in bright clothing that makes him hard to miss.

·        Make sure you know exactly where your child is headed in his bicycle, and which route he will take.

·        Discuss bike safety with your kids.

Support Grows for Georgia Bicycle Safety Bill

More than 1,000 bicyclists converged in Atlanta yesterday in a show of support for a pending piece of legislation that would create a safety zone around bicycles, preventing the risk of injuries and accidents.

The bill is similar to other legislation already in effect in 16 other states around the country. It has been widely supported by bicycle safety groups and Atlanta bicycle accident lawyers. The bill, HB988 will establish a 3-foot safety zone around a bicyclist. Motorists will be required to maintain the 3-foot zone while passing a bicyclist. This will greatly increase safety for these bikers, who often find themselves run off roads and frightened by honking cars that get too close to them.

The bill is currently in the House Rules Committee. It has to pass one more chamber of the Georgia legislature by Friday. If that fails, the bill is likely dead for the current session.

It's very important that the bill is passed during his session, so Georgia can continue with efforts towards enhancing bike safety. Around the country, states are investing in bike safety to unclog congested streets, and keep pollution levels in check. In Atlanta, we have notoriously congested traffic, which makes our city one of the worst in the country to drive in. Encouraging bicyclists would tackle the problem of congestion and other related problems, like road rage and aggressive driving.

It’s however pointless to encourage biking if we don't invest in a safer environment for bicyclists. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has already spoken of his commitment to encouraging pedestrian and bicycle traffic as part of his overall vision for transportation infrastructure in the United States. Georgia too needs to step up and encourage safe biking for all.

Last week, Google rolled out its new Google bike maps feature that does for bicyclists what it already does for motorists. The feature provides bicyclists quick and safe routes to get to their destination.

Bikers have been calling for adding biking directions to Google Maps for a while now. A petition containing more than 50,000 signatures from bicyclists was sent to Google, asking the search engine giant to develop a map feature exclusively for bicyclists. That moment is here, and bicyclists couldn’t be happier about it. As bicycle accident lawyers in Atlanta, we couldn't be more pleased at the way Google has stepped in to make biking not just quicker and more convenient for bicyclists, but also safer.

According to Google, the bike routes have been developed taking into consideration the safest way for a biker to get to his destination. The routes avoid crowded and congested streets, streets with no bike lanes, streets with a high volume of traffic, busy intersections, narrow streets and hills.

Not everything about the new feature is peachy-perfect. Some experienced bikers have complained that some of the routes that the feature offers, take them through streets clogged with traffic. However, these creases are likely to be ironed out with time. Considering the large numbers of people who are taking to bicycling in Georgia and around the country, we expect the bike maps feature to make bicycling a much safer commuting option than it is now.

For experienced bikers who already know their way about town, the feature may not offer anything much or new. However, for those who want to bike to work to save on gas in a bad economy, Google bike maps could help make that shift to bicycling much safer than it is now.

As Atlanta bicycle accident lawyers, we constantly monitor bicycle safety stories from around the country. Often, we find that these issues are mirrored very strongly in our very own Georgia.   We have been following closely an incident in California, involving a doctor on trial for causing serious injuries to two bicyclists in a fit of road rage.

Dr Christopher Thompson admitted during his trial that he had been angry at frequent violations of traffic rules by local bicyclists. The good doctor apparently found this frustration reason enough to pull over in front of the two bicyclists, and slam on the brakes. The two bikers were minding their own business cycling along when they crashed into Thompson’s sedan. Both of them suffered serious injuries, and one of them required plastic surgery to correct severe facial damage.  Last week, the doctor was sentenced to 5 years in prison. The judge noted that he showed no remorse for his behavior.

In Georgia too, we have noticed increasing public impatience, and even anger, towards bicyclists. Ask any Atlanta bicyclist, and he will tell you of the taunts, the yelling, the glares and the rude gestures that he suffers. Many motorists labor under the assumption that the streets are built solely for them, and all other users are intruders. There’s even a Facebook group that is dedicated solely to beating down bicyclists. 

As Atlanta bicycle accident lawyers, we believe that these increased confrontations between motorists and bicyclists will not continue forever. As more and more numbers of bicyclists join others, motorists will get used to sharing the roads with these people, thereby helping change their driving behavior.   However, for this to happen, local agencies in Georgia must invest more in education and awareness programs. This is especially so on narrower streets in Atlanta that may not have enough space for a dedicated bike lane. Education on its own won’t be enough. We also need stronger laws that protect bicyclists from the harassment they are increasingly beginning to see.   

A bicycle accident in Sandy Springs over the Christmas weekend left a 50-year-old bicyclist seriously injured. According to police, the man was cycling when a car crossed right in front of him at an intersection. The cyclist had no way of avoiding the car. The impact threw him off the bicycle and on the road. He suffered head injuries, and was rushed to the hospital. The motorist has been charged with failure to yield.

As Atlanta bicycle accident lawyers, we have been concerned at what seems like the slow erasing of bicyclist safety from our surface transportation polices. Last month, Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue announced $65.8 million in transportation projects funded by federal stimulus dollars. Just two bicycle-friendly projects have been earmarked for funds. One is a multi use trail in Fulton County at a cost of $165,000, and the other is a Rails to Trails project in Warm Springs at a cost of $587,000.

On the other hand, there is some reason to cheer. The Federal Highway Administration has released its latest edition of national standards for traffic signs and signals, called the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD). This edition includes specific instructions for the marking of sharrows, or share lane markings. These sharrows are typically marked on a road where there is no space for a bike lane, or when the bike lane is too close to parked automobiles, placing bicyclists in danger of being struck by opening car doors. Sharrows allow bicyclists to maintain safe routes, and also encourage motorists to share the roads with cyclists. Atlanta has plenty of narrow roads that may not allow for a separate bike lane, and we definitely need more sharrows.

With more Atlantans being lured to the freedom biking offers, it is becoming important that we reassess our transportation policies to make space for bicycles. Otherwise, we run the risk of creating a hostile situation with frequent confrontations between motorists and bicyclists.

1. Ride on a regulation seat;
2. Carry only the number of passengers allowed on a bike;
3. Not transport a child under the age of one;
4. Not transport a child between the ages of one and four unless in a regulation seat;
5. Not attach the bike to any vehicle and ride in transport;
6. Not ride more than two abreast on the roadway;
7. Use a bike path where provided;
8. Not carry any packages or bundles which prevent riding with both hands;
9. Have a regulation white and red light on the bicycle when operating it at night;
10. Have a bike with standard regulation handlebars, peddles, reflectors and brakes;
11. Wear a regulation helmet.

1. Cyclists have the right to ride on all surface roads;
2. Cyclists should never ride more than two abreast;
3. Motorists must pass in a safe manner;
4. Cyclists take the lane when the lane is narrow.

1. Wear a helmet to protect your head and face
2. Wear sport sun glasses to keep the bugs and sun out of your eyes;
3. Wear bright reflective clothing so other drivers can see you;
4. Wear padded gloves and padded shorts to protect hands and reduce pain;
5. Make sure your bike is in proper working order, i.e. check the brakes!;
6. Make sure your bike has reflectors and lights;
7. When riding with a child, make sure the child is in a regulation seat; wears a helmet; and fit the bike with spoke guards.