For those who love taking to the roads on a bicycle, it is important to wear a helmet and follow a list of safety precautions. It is also critical that riders arm themselves with knowledge of safe riding practices and of laws designed to protect bicyclists.
State laws help bicyclists navigate the streets of Georgia more safely.
Pertinent bicycle laws
The Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety states that bicycles are legally classified as vehicles in Georgia. This means that general traffic law pertains to the operation of a bicycle. Subsections of the law deal specifically with bicycles.
The law prohibits certain actions in regards to bicycle use. A bicyclist must use the seat to ride upon and must not transport anyone on the handlebars, nor should a bicyclist carry more people on the bike than its design safely allows. The proper riding direction is on the right side of the road and the rider should keep as far to the right as is practicable. Georgia law requires any person less than 16 years of age to wear a helmet that meets or exceeds the standards set forth by the American National Standards Institute or the Snell Memorial Foundation.
Interesting bicycle news
An article in the Savannah Morning News reported that in 2017 Georgia ranked as the 19th safest state for bicycle riders according to the League of American Bicyclists. The state received an A grade in two areas: infrastructure and funding and policies and programming. Overall, Georgia received a score of just over 55 out of a possible 100. This ranking marks an improvement over previous scores. A state organization attributed the improvement to progress in the Atlanta metro area.