Date: July 12, 2011By: Atlanta Car Accident Attorneys

Effective July 1st, a new Georgia law requires motorists passing bicyclists to leave a minimum of three feet of clearance between their vehicle and the bicycle. Previously, Georgia traffic laws merely stated that automobile drivers had to keep a “safe distance” from cyclists. Georgia becomes the eighteenth state to adopt a law requiring vehicles to leave three feet between them and cyclists. Other changes in the “Better Bicycling Bill” include that cars must yield the right of way to bicyclists using designated bike lanes, a new requirement that bike lanes must be built to at least the minimum national safety standards, specifications on the direction cyclists can ride in bike lanes, and codification of the situations when a bicycle can move into the center of a normal travel lane.

The law was lobbied for by a nonprofit group called Georgia Bikes, which seeks to encourage safe bicycling throughout the state. To promote awareness to the new law, bike clubs in Athens, Atlanta, Norcross, LaGrange, Marietta, Milledgeville, Savannah and coastal Darien organized large group “3 Feet 2 Pass” rides and Georgia Bikes broadcasted recorded public service announcements over the radio. Riders reported that 90 percent of the drivers who passed them on these rides were courteous, with the other 10 percent taking the opportunity to yell harassing remarks or disobey the 3-feet law. The protections of this law are hailed by Georgia bicyclists who claim that the 3-feet law will prevent fatalities and close calls and the other provisions will keep bike lanes clear, which many cyclists complained had been used in the past by cars for passing and parking.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2009 there were 630 bicyclists killed and an additional 51,000 injured in motor vehicle traffic crashes throughout the United States. In the same year there were 21 bicycle fatalities in Georgia, accounting for 2% of all motor vehicle crash fatalities in the state. Georgia trends slightly higher than the national average, with 2.14 cycling deaths per million people, compared to the country’s average of 2.05.

Bicycle accidents are a serious problem in Georgia and the United States. Cyclists are in increased danger because bicycles provide little protection to the rider and are often not seen by other motorists, leaving them very vulnerable on the road. If you or a family member has been injured in a bicycle accident involving a motor vehicle, contact an experienced Atlanta car accident attorney to receive a free case review and pursue possible compensation for your lost wages, medical bills, and pain and suffering.

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Keywords: Georgia bike laws, Atlanta car accidents, pedestrian accidents, Atlanta personal injury lawyers