Georgia Bicycle Accident Statistics
According to the Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, 23 cyclists lost their lives in 2015 on Georgia roads. This was a 21 percent increase in bicyclist deaths from 2014. Bicycle-related deaths accounted for 1.6 percent of all traffic-related fatalities in the state during 2015. Most of the deaths occurred between the hours of 3:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m.
Georgia Bicycle Helmet Law
Like many states, Georgia does not require adults to wear helmets. However, state law requires that all riders under the age of 16 years wear a bicycle helmet when riding.
Georgia’s Efforts to Make Bicycling Safe in the State
The state has taken several steps to ensure the safety of cyclists and pedestrians throughout the state. One of the goals of the 2015 Governor’s Strategic Highway Safety Plan is to reduce the annual average of bicycle fatalities to 15, and the annual average number of serious injuries from bicycle crashes to 32 each year. The target deadline to reach this goal is 2025. To assess the effectiveness of the plan’s objections, the GOHS will use three-year averages in addition to including detailed timelines and performance measures for each strategy in the 205 Bicycle Safety Implementation Plan.
For more information on bicycle safety, the GOHS provides information on the state’s bicycle laws, tips & tools for bicyclists, and related links for riders on its website.
In addition to the Governor’s Office, the Georgia Department of Transportation’s (GDOT) Bicycle & Pedestrian Program has numerous initiatives and programs throughout the state designed to protect riders and pedestrians. According to the GDOT Safety Action Plan, the vision of the plan is to provide an accessible and safe environment that supports walking and bicycling. As part of this vision, all state, regional, and local transportation agencies will work toward providing a transportation system where bicycling and walking are viable options as transportation choices. Goals of the plan include:
- Improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists
- Increase trips made by bicycle or on foot
- Increase funding for pedestrian and bicyclist programs and infrastructure programs
- Improve cyclist and pedestrian data-related collection
The report contains recommendations on how to meet the goals and how to make bicycling safer in the state.
As part of its efforts to protect riders, the GDOT has published a Guide for Bicyclists in Georgia that is available on its website. The guide includes information about getting started (i.e. types of bicycles, helmets, safety equipment, etc.) riding with children, safety tips, commuting by bicycle, and recreational riding.