Albany, GA Bike Accident Injury Lawyers

Bike Crash Injury Lawyers for Albany

Bicycle Accidents & Injuries

Traumatic Brain Injuries and Bicycle Helmets Albany, Georgia

Serious head injuries constitute the leading cause of bike riding accidents that result in fatalities. Although multiple studies demonstrate the effectiveness of helmets in preventing head injuries when riding a bike, many Georgia bicyclists elect to take their chances. A study involving 64,000 cyclists around the world found that helmets reduced the risk of severe head injuries by 70 percent. The researchers also reported that the risk of fatal head trauma declined by 65 percent when cyclists wore a helmet.

While Georgia law requires that cyclists under the age of 16 wear an ANSI complaint helmet, the law makes helmet use by other riders a matter of rider discretion. Although no fine or jail time will be imposed on a rider under 16 who declines to wear a helmet, a parent could be charged with a misdemeanor for failing to equip a child with a helmet when riding a bike.

Impact of Bicycle Traffic Laws on Liability in Albany, Georgia

Although bicyclists have the right to share the roads with cars, pickups, SUVs, and tractor-trailers, riders also have a legal obligation to obey Georgia traffic laws. Motorized vehicles must comply with special traffic rules designed to make the roadways of Albany and other cities safe for bike riders. Special statewide laws that protect cyclists provide that:

• Motorists must yield to cyclists in bike lanes.
• Drivers of cars and other motor vehicles are required to remain to the left of a bike when passing and to do so at a safe distance. A return to the lane cannot happen until the car has traveled a sufficient distance from the bike.
• Motorists must yield to cyclists on a sidewalk

Cycling Statistics

Cycling has become a phenomenon that offers the benefits of enhanced health and reduced pollution. During a twenty year period ending in 2009, the number of bicycle trips in the nation more than doubled from 1.8 billion to 4 billion. Commuting by bike has increased by 47 percent nationally and 73 percent in large metro areas during the last decade.

Despite the enormous individual and societal benefits associated with the widespread use of bikes, drivers who use their cell phone, disregard the speed limit, or engage in other unsafe driving practices endanger rider safety. Bicycles offer limited ability to evade a collision and provide virtually no protection to the cyclist when a crash occurs. Given the relative speed difference between an automobile and a bicycle, cycling enthusiasts have limited ability to evade a distracted or careless driver. When a collision does occur, bikes lack a protective passenger enclosure, air bags, and safety restraints. This lack of safety equipment leaves riders exposed to devastating injuries when they encounter negligent motorists. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that 52,000 riders are injured and another 600 die annually in collisions between bicycles and motor vehicles.