[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/butlerfirm.com\/blog\/rules-of-the-road-for-bicyclists-in-georgia\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/butlerfirm.com\/blog\/rules-of-the-road-for-bicyclists-in-georgia\/","headline":"Rules of the Road for Bicyclists in Georgia","name":"Rules of the Road for Bicyclists in Georgia","description":"With gas prices rising over many years, it is unsurprising that more and more people have turned to bicycles to satisfy their transportation needs. Sadly, though, the increase in the number of cyclists on the road has led to additional bicycle accidents. According to the Centers for Disease Control, bicycle trips make up only 1%… Continue reading Rules of the Road for Bicyclists in Georgia<\/span><\/a>","datePublished":"2023-08-25","dateModified":"2026-04-17","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/butlerfirm.com\/blog\/author\/butler\/#Person","name":"Jeb Butler","url":"https:\/\/butlerfirm.com\/blog\/author\/butler\/","identifier":9,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f5a02bc71d91db5fc8645f129c4424ce6ef7af7e24fe54f4a85315a9dd28f317?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f5a02bc71d91db5fc8645f129c4424ce6ef7af7e24fe54f4a85315a9dd28f317?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Butler Kahn","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/butlerfirm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Butler-Law-Firm-Logo.png","url":"https:\/\/butlerfirm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Butler-Law-Firm-Logo.png","width":210,"height":93}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/butlerfirm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ga-bicycle-accident-featured.jpg","url":"https:\/\/butlerfirm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ga-bicycle-accident-featured.jpg","height":430,"width":640},"url":"https:\/\/butlerfirm.com\/blog\/rules-of-the-road-for-bicyclists-in-georgia\/","video":{"@context":"http:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"VideoObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=Wx_S1bKROqc#VideoObject","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=Wx_S1bKROqc","name":"Rules of the Road You Need to Know - Bicycle Edition","description":"Attorney Tom Giannotti is here to explain the Rules of the Road for Cyclists. \n\nFor more information about the cases we handle, please visit: https:\/\/butlerfirm.com\/\n\nAbout Tom Giannotti: https:\/\/butlerfirm.com\/our-team\/tom-giannotti\/\n\n******************************************************\nSHARE THIS VIDEO: https:\/\/youtu.be\/Wx_S1bKROqc\n******************************************************\n__________________________________________\nWe Have Four Locations to Serve You \nAtlanta, GA \nButler Kahn\n10 Lenox Pointe \nAtlanta, GA 30324 \nhttps:\/\/butlerfirm.com\/ \n--------\nLawrenceville, GA \nButler Kahn\n154 Stone Mountain Street, Suite 250\nLawrenceville, GA 30045 \nhttps:\/\/butlerfirm.com\/lawrenceville-injury-lawyers\n-------- \nRoswell, GA \nButler Kahn\n1255 Canton Street, Suite E \nRoswell, GA 30075 \nhttps:\/\/butlerfirm.com\/roswell-injury-lawyers\n-------- \nJonesboro, GA \nButler Kahn\n21 Lee Street, Suite 250 \nJonesboro, GA 30236 \nhttps:\/\/butlerfirm.com\/jonesboro-injury-lawyers\n------- \n\u25ba Hi, Tom Giannotti here with the rules of the road - you need to know, the bicycle edition. \n\n\u25ba Rule Number One: Share the road. \n\nThis goes for both cars and bicycles and the bicyclists have the same rights as motorists on the roadway. They face unique challenges due to their being smaller, less visible and more exposed to harm. This is why it is so important for drivers to watch out for bicycles on the road, especially where drivers may not expect to see them. For example, when making a right turn, there may be a bicycle in your blind spot to your right, if you're not careful. Also, if you're making a left hand turn, an intersection, you may be looking for cars and checking for when it's clear for traffic to pass, to make a left turn, but you have to especially watch out for bicycles. Also you may not know this, but Georgia law requires drivers to give bicycles a safe amount of space on the road and the law tells us really what a safe amount of space is. We can take a look at that here. This is official code of Georgia section 40-6-56. And it says number one, that when you approach a, a driver is approaching a bicycle, a driver has to change lanes if possible.\n\n\u25ba Rule Number Two: If changing lanes is not possible, reduce your speed to 10 miles an hour below the speed limit or 25 miles an hour, whichever is greater. \n\nAlso make sure to give at least 3 ft of space between your car and the bicycle. Now rule number two, don't ride your bike on the sidewalk or the interstate. It is actually illegal in Georgia to ride a bike on the sidewalk unless you're 12 years old or younger and you live in a city or county that allows that sort of thing, for example, the city of Atlanta, but everybody else has to share the road also if you're brave enough or perhaps foolish enough to ride a bike on the interstate.\n\nDon't! \n\nI saw someone doing this just the other day on one of the busiest parts of I75 in Atlanta where cars are easily going 65, 75 or more MPH. Not only is that incredibly unsafe, but it is also illegal. A Georgia law prohibits riding a bike on a controlled access highway, so don't do it. It's for your own good. \n\n\u25ba Rule Number Three: Use lights at night time. \n\nIf you're riding a bicycle at night, Georgia law requires you to have a white headlight visible from at least 300 feet and a red tail light or red reflector. In other words, the reflector is fine if that's all you have on the back of your bike. But you got to have the white headlight if you're gonna ride at night. \n\n\u25ba And finally, while not a law, it is a best practice to wear light colored clothing or better yet reflective clothing. If you're going to ride between dusk and dawn, again, the idea is to make yourself more visible to motorists because unfortunately, as we all know, there are drivers out there that are just not paying attention and aren't looking out for bicycles on the road. So we obviously want to bring awareness to increase visibility of bicycles, but also you have to try to do the most you can for your own safety. So, hopefully this has been helpful and informative and thank you for watching.\n\nCheck out our previous video: https:\/\/youtu.be\/P3LFkWJtyo8","thumbnailUrl":["https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/Wx_S1bKROqc\/default.jpg","https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/Wx_S1bKROqc\/mqdefault.jpg","https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/Wx_S1bKROqc\/hqdefault.jpg","https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/Wx_S1bKROqc\/sddefault.jpg","https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/Wx_S1bKROqc\/maxresdefault.jpg"],"uploadDate":"2023-08-04T05:34:13+00:00","duration":"PT4M5S","embedUrl":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Wx_S1bKROqc","publisher":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCeMYGr94Sf4LpYwIcO3P2Qw#Organization","url":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCeMYGr94Sf4LpYwIcO3P2Qw","name":"Butler Kahn","description":"We help people and families.\n\nOur firm specializes in personal injury and wrongful death cases. We are based in Atlanta, Georgia. We handle cases across Georgia and, for certain types of cases, all across the country.\n\nTOP-QUALITY LEGAL WORK. We do the work that lots of law firms skip. We track down witnesses, dig into the evidence, and prepare intensely for every deposition, trial, and hearing. We take a small number of cases so that we can devote our full attention to the clients we represent.\n\nPERSONAL SERVICE. If you hire us, you get us. You won't get blocked by a receptionist or leave unreturned messages. If you want to speak with your lawyer, you can.\n\nDOING WHAT WE SAY WE'LL DO. Some law firms make big promises at the beginning, then don\u2019t follow through. We shoot straight \u2013 when we tell you something about your case, good or bad, we mean it. No fake promises.\n\nButler Kahn\n10 Lenox Pointe\nAtlanta, GA 30324\n678-940-1444\n","logo":{"url":"https:\/\/yt3.ggpht.com\/NTOsbNEALVOnRbUCg7jUzYGcC4kNKsUTEVHm5TtiTQdLlfFKksLTnmiZG_t6zDG_e4ygtnva=s800-c-k-c0x00ffffff-no-rj","width":800,"height":800,"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=Wx_S1bKROqc#VideoObject_publisher_logo_ImageObject"}},"potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=Wx_S1bKROqc#VideoObject_potentialAction","target":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=Wx_S1bKROqc&t={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"},"interactionStatistic":[[{"@type":"InteractionCounter","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=Wx_S1bKROqc#VideoObject_interactionStatistic_WatchAction","interactionType":{"@type":"WatchAction"},"userInteractionCount":116}],{"@type":"InteractionCounter","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=Wx_S1bKROqc#VideoObject_interactionStatistic_LikeAction","interactionType":{"@type":"LikeAction"},"userInteractionCount":2}]},"about":["Bicycle Accident"],"wordCount":742,"articleBody":"With gas prices rising over many years, it is unsurprising that more and more people have turned to bicycles to satisfy their transportation needs. Sadly, though, the increase in the number of cyclists on the road has led to additional bicycle accidents. According to the Centers for Disease Control, bicycle trips make up only 1% of all trips in the United States. However, bicyclists account for over 2% of people who die in a crash involving a motor vehicle on our nation\u2019s roads. In any given year in the United States, roughly 1,000 bicyclists are killed and another 130,000 are injured in crashes.\u00a0Most bicycle accidents are preventable when the right safety precautions are being taken. In particular, drivers are much more likely to hit bicyclists when they are speeding or distracted. More often than not, accidents are more likely to occur at intersections where bicyclists and passenger vehicles are likely to cross paths. What follows are some rules of the road that both drivers and bicyclists should follow to stay safe.\u00a01. Share The Road: This rule applies equally to bicyclists as well as drivers. Under Georgia law, bicyclists have the same rights as motorists on the roadway. However,\u00a0 bicyclists face many unique challenges because they are smaller, less visible, and more exposed to harm. This is why it is so important for drivers to watch out for bicyclists. In many situations, drivers are simply not expecting to see bicyclists.\u00a0 For example, a driver may encounter a bicyclist in their blind spot as they are attempting to make a right turn. Likewise, when a driver is making a left-hand turn, they may be focusing on opposing traffic and fail to see a bicyclist crossing the street. Georgia law requires drivers to maintain a safe distance from bicyclists. Pursuant to O.C.G.A. \u00a7 40-6-56, (a) The operator of a motor vehicle approaching a bicycle shall approach the bicycle with due caution and shall proceed as follows:(1) Make a lane change into a lane not adjacent to the bicycle if possible in the existing road and traffic conditions; or\u00a0(2)If a lane change under paragraph (1) of this subsection would be impossible, prohibited by law, or unsafe, reduce the speed of the motor vehicle to a reasonable and proper speed for the existing road and traffic conditions, which speed shall be at least ten miles per hour less than the posted speed limit or 25 miles per hour, whichever is more, and proceed around the bicycle with at least three feet between such vehicle and the bicycle at all times.2. Avoid Prohibited Areas: Don\u2019t ride your bicycle on the sidewalk or the interstate. It is actually illegal in Georgia to ride a bike on the sidewalk. There are some exceptions to this rule for children 12 and younger. Everyone else on a bicycle must share the road with vehicles. It is also illegal and very unsafe to ride a bicycle on an interstate. Virtually no drivers are expecting to see bicyclists on the interstate.\u00a03. Stay Illuminated: Use lights when you are riding your bicycle at night. If you are riding a bicycle at night, Georgia law requires you to have a white headlight visible from at least 300 ft. Bicyclists must also have a red taillight or a red reflector. In other words, the reflector is fine if it\u2019s all you have in the back of your bike. But you must have the white headlight if you plan on riding at night.\u00a04. Avoid Dark Clothing: Though not required by law, it is best to avoid dark clothing when riding a bicycle at night. Dark clothing absorbs light thereby making the wearer much more difficult to see. If you are going to ride between dusk and dawn, it is best to wear light colored clothing or reflective clothing. By doing this, you are making yourself much more visible to motorists.\u00a0Unfortunately, as we all know, there are drivers out there who are just not paying attention and aren\u2019t looking out for bicycles on the road. Our team of Atlanta bicycle accident attorneys at Butler Kahn want to raise awareness of the safety issues bicyclists face in their commutes. If you\u2019ve been injured in a bicycle accident, we may be able to help you. We can examine the unique facts of your case free of cost and let you know if you have a valid claim. You are always welcome to contact us anytime at 678-940-1444."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Blog","item":"https:\/\/butlerfirm.com\/blog\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Rules of the Road for Bicyclists in Georgia","item":"https:\/\/butlerfirm.com\/blog\/rules-of-the-road-for-bicyclists-in-georgia\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]