According to Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center, in 2012 nationally, 726 lost their lives in bicycle/motor vehicle crashes nationally, just under two people every day of the year in the U.S. The death rate from bicycle crashes is high due to the relative lack of protection bicyclists have in an impact with a motor vehicle.

Despite safety improvements, bicycle accidents are a growing concern in Atlanta

Atlanta traffic-safety laws are designed to allow bicyclists to share the road safely with motor vehicles in an increasingly crowded space.

According to the State of Georgia Office of Highway Safety:

• Every person operating a bicycle upon a roadway shall ride as near to the right side of the roadway as practicable, except when turning left or avoiding hazards to safe cycling, when the lane is too narrow to share safely with a motor vehicle, when traveling at the same speed as traffic, or while exercising due care when passing a standing vehicle or one proceeding in the same direction; provided, however, that every person operating a bicycle away from the right side of the roadway shall exercise reasonable care and shall give due consideration to the other applicable rules of the road.
• Persons riding bicycles upon a roadway shall not ride more than two abreast except on bicycle paths, bicycle lanes, or parts of roadways set aside for the exclusive use of bicycles, or when a special event permit issued by a local governing authority permits riding more than two abreast. 
• Every bicycle when in use at nighttime shall be equipped with a light on the front which shall emit a white light visible from a distance of 300 feet to the front and with a light on the back which shall emit a red light visible from a distance of 300 feet to the rear. Any bicycle equipped with a red reflector on the rear that is approved by the Department of Public Safety shall not be required to have a light on the rear of the bicycle.
• Every bicycle sold or operated shall be equipped with a brake which will enable the operator to make the braked wheels skid on dry, level pavement. 

Get information on bicycle accidents from the Atlanta Police Department

The Atlanta Police Department offers information on accidents. You can go here to request a copy of a traffic collision report. The Georgia Department of Driver Services provides information on traffic and safety laws.

These departments are a good resource to get information after a bicycle crash.

Atlanta bicycle crashes have common causes and deadly outcomes

While helmets and proper reflective gear make bicycling safer, riding a bicycle is riskier than driving a car. Maintaining control is more difficult on two wheels, and when collisions happen, bicyclists are at greater risk of serious injury or death because they don't have an enclosed vehicle for protection.

Common causes of bicycle crashes include:

• Motorist turning across path of cyclist;
• Cyclist riding into the path of a motor vehicle;
• Cyclist turning right from a major road and from a minor road;
• Child cyclist playing or riding too fast.

When someone is injured in an Atlanta bicycle accident, what needs to happen next?

In an injury bike crash, it is crucial to get appropriate medical treatment, regardless of the financial cost. The major hospitals in the area include:

• Emory University Hospital;
• Piedmont Atlanta Hospital;
• Atlanta Medical Center;
• Northside Hospital Atlanta.

As soon as possible, an injured person should contact their insurance company to find out how medical treatment is covered under their insurance policy. Since insurance policies often have unique provisions to deal with bicycle-accident injuries, it is important to review the policy and speak with the insurance adjuster to get clarification on coverage.

When a bicycle collision is serious or fatal, it is important to find an Atlanta bike accident attorney

When a bicycle accident, caused by the negligence of a motorist, results in serious injury or death, the next step is to find an experienced Atlanta bicycle accident attorney to start the financial recovery process by launching an insurance claim. Major injury or wrongful death claims are complicated and can be hard to manage without legal help. Having a personal injury lawyer on board is a great relief to injured bicyclists, or to the family left behind when an accident proves fatal.

Since personal injury lawyers offer a free initial consultation and work on a contingency basis, meaning that there are no up-front costs and all fees are paid when the claim is settled, there is no downside to speaking with a good Atlanta personal injury lawyer right away, to get help for an injured bicyclist.