Bicycles Accidents
Compared to other cities, Atlanta is still transitioning from an old-fashioned Southern town to an international city. As growth and density accelerate, more and more people are drawn to live/work communities and other residences within a short distance of their work, shopping areas, restaurants, movie theaters, parks and other places of entertainment. And with that trend there are more and more bicycles sharing the road as a means of alternative transportation. And, of course, there are the health conscious who use their bikes for exercise.
Despite its rush to cater to those big city desires, Atlanta has lagged woefully behind in creating safe bike lanes and those that do exist, are often marked with debris, potholes and uneven pavement. Bike riders are treated like second class citizens when it comes to transportation. But when it comes to the inevitable bike crashes, often with motorized vehicles, bike riders have legal rights equal to those of automobile occupants.
As with persons who are injured in automobile crashes, bicyclists are entitled to compensation for injuries they receive in a crash with a motorized vehicle and the bicyclist is not a fault. That is, of course, as long as the motorized vehicle has insurance.
While there have been strides in making Atlanta more bicycle-friendly, there are still some car drivers who are antagonistic about having to share the road with bicycles and who fail to heed the rules of the road. Again, bicyclists have equals rights to the road, as do operators of cars, trucks, 18-wheelers, tractor-trailers, and so forth.
If you or someone you know has been involved in a bicycle collision, don’t hesitate to call Kopelman Sitton at 404-351-5900. We can help you get the coverage you deserve!