Sharing the Road

Drivers must safely share the roads with pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorcyclists. As the metro-Atlanta area works toward being a more pedestrian friendly city, here are some general rules and tips for navigating among people on foot and those using two-wheeled vehicles on Georgia’s roadways.

Crosswalks are the part of a roadway for pedestrians to travel, just as if the sidewalk extended across the street. When pedestrians are in crosswalks, they have the right-of-way over motor vehicles. Always stop your car before the crosswalk at stop signs and red lights. At crosswalks without traffic signals, you must stop and remain stopped for pedestrians if they are on the side of the roadway on which you are travelling.

Drivers often fail to look out for pedestrians when they are attempting to make a right on red. Be sure to come to a full and complete stop before the crosswalk; do not block the crosswalk to get a better view of oncoming traffic. Doing so puts pedestrians at risk because they are forced to walk around your vehicle. When you do see a gap in traffic, look back to your right before turning to make sure a pedestrian is not in your path. The most important rule is to always make sure your eyes are looking in the same direction that your car is moving.

Accidents involving bicycles and cars often occur because drivers fail to see bicyclists soon enough to avoid a collision. When you are behind the wheel, yield the right-of-way to bicyclists in the same way you would yield to other car and truck drivers, and observe the following rules:

• Wait until a bicyclist is out of an intersection before making a turn.
• Leave at least three feet between your vehicle and a bicyclist when passing a bicycle. If you cannot pass safely because of traffic, wait for traffic to clear before passing the bicycle.
• If you come across a bicyclist at night, dim your lights to avoid blinding the bicyclist.

Car and truck drivers must be prepared to share the road with motorcyclists in order to avoid serious accidents. The most likely places for car and motorcycle collisions to occur are at intersections. Usually, these accidents are the result of the car driver not seeing the motorcyclist and turning into the motorcycle’s path. Also, allow for a greater following distance when you are traveling behind a motorcycle as they can stop much faster than you can.

If you have been injured in an accident as a driver, passenger, cyclist, or pedestrian, the attorneys at Katz Personal Injury Lawyers can help you obtain compensation for injuries, property damage and other losses resulting from a serious car accident. Do the best thing for yourself and take advantage of a free initial consultation to discuss your options. Contact our experienced law firm at (404) 460-0101 today.