New Georgia legislation requires drivers to maintain cyclists away from the street

ALBANY, Georgia (WALB) – Georgia lawmakers are taking steps to make the roads safer for cyclists.

They are now enforcing what they call the “three-foot law”.

Now riders must switch from a cyclist to the next lane if it is safe or legal to do so, according to the highway safety governor’s office.

If this is not possible, riders must slow down to a speed that is 10 miles below the stated speed limit, or 25 miles per hour, and ride at least one meter away from the bike.

Road safety officials said Georgia lawmakers enabled that rule on July 1.

Over the years, the number of cyclist and rider deaths has risen and grown during the pandemic.

Road safety governor’s office bike planner Kathryn Curtis said the number of deaths has increased over the years, but they say it increased during the pandemic.(WALB)

“As a result, unfortunately, bicycle and pedestrian deaths are increasing in the state of Georgia and across the country. It is therefore our top priority to ensure that all cyclists, motorists and pedestrians are educated. So we could see that those deaths were decreasing, ”said Kathryn Curtis, governor of Highway Safety Bicycle Planner.

Albany’s own radio personality Hildred Lyons was killed while riding a bicycle.

Albany’s own radio personality Hildred Lyons was killed while riding a bicycle in 2020(WALB)

Her family said she was run into on North County Line Road a year ago.

“Running like on the road is a race track. Hey, you have to respect the pedestrian there. You shouldn’t be in such a hurry if you have to run over someone, ”said George Lyons.

Widowed husband George Lyons said people need to stop driving the streets like a racetrack.(WALB)

The Lyons family told me that the driver who hit Hildred Lyons has not yet been caught.

But they say the case will be brought back to court soon.

Another cyclist said he had also been hit in the past.

He said the driver was distracted before getting him off the road.

“Here we really want to make sure that drivers always drive in such a way that they are not distracted from the traffic, because if you look at the road you will see cyclists anyway. But if you touch your phone or argue with people in the back seat and are in some way distracted, even looking in the street and talking, some people can’t drive and talk at the same time, ”Lonnie Wormley said.

Cyclist Lonnie Wormley said he was hit by a distracted driver in the past.(WALB)

Copyright 2021 WALB. All rights reserved.