Cyclists have every legal right to the road — and drivers who forget that cause serious, life-changing crashes. When a car crowds, clips, or turns into a rider, Kyle Koester fights the “blame-the-cyclist” narrative and puts fault where it belongs.
Hit while cycling in Georgia?
Kyle Koester is a Woodstock, GA bicycle accident attorney representing injured cyclists across Cherokee County and metro Atlanta. In Georgia a bicycle is a vehicle, and cyclists have the rights and duties of drivers (O.C.G.A. § 40-6-291). Drivers must give at least three feet when passing (O.C.G.A. § 40-6-56), and you can recover even if partly at fault, as long as you were less than 50% responsible (O.C.G.A. § 51-12-33). You generally have two years to file (O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33). There is no fee unless he wins. Free consultation: 770-744-5250.
The hardest part of many bicycle cases isn’t the law — it’s the bias. Insurers and even some jurors assume a cyclist “shouldn’t have been on the road” or was somehow asking for it. The truth is the opposite: Georgia gives cyclists the same rights as any driver, and the crash was almost always caused by a motorist who wasn’t paying attention.
Like a motorcyclist, a cyclist has no metal cage and no airbag. A glancing hit at 35 mph can mean a traumatic brain injury, broken bones, road rash requiring surgery, or worse. The injuries — and the damages — are frequently severe.
Kyle builds these cases to dismantle the bias with evidence: the driver’s violation, the physical proof, and the rider’s clear right to be exactly where they were. Every case is prepared like it’s going to trial.
Drivers who crowd or clip a cyclist while passing violate Georgia’s 3-foot law — often the clearest proof of fault in a bike case.
A driver turning across a cyclist’s path, or right-hooking a rider they just passed, is a classic failure-to-yield collision.
Someone opens a car door into a passing rider. Under Georgia law the person who opened the door is typically at fault.
Drivers pulling out from a stop sign, driveway, or parking lot who never looked for a cyclist with the right of way.
A driver on a phone or impaired often never sees a rider at all — conduct that can support punitive damages.
When a driver flees, we pursue your uninsured motorist coverage and work to identify the vehicle before evidence disappears.
The law is on your side. These are the moves that keep the focus on the driver who caused the crash.
A bicycle is a vehicle in Georgia. We start by making clear the rider was lawfully and properly where they were.
The 3-foot law, failure to yield, dooring, distraction — we document exactly which rule the driver broke.
Helmet cameras, doorbell and traffic cameras, and witness accounts — much of it overwritten within days.
Adjusters lean on the “cyclist came out of nowhere” myth. Don’t give a recorded statement before talking to a lawyer.
The earlier Kyle is involved, the more he can preserve — and the harder it is for anyone to blame the rider.
A fair recovery covers everything the crash cost you — the surgeries, the time off the bike and off work, and the lasting impact on your life.
If we don't win, you don't pay.
No fees, no costs, no risk. Kyle only gets paid when he recovers money for you.
Get Your Free Case ReviewGeorgia gives cyclists real, enforceable rights on the road. Here are the ones that decide most bike cases — tap the linked cards for the deep dive.
A driver passing a cyclist must leave at least three feet of clearance until safely past. (Confirm current wording.)
Why it matters: A driver who crowded or clipped a rider broke this law — strong evidence of fault.
A person on a bicycle has the same rights and duties as a driver of a vehicle. (Confirm current wording.)
Why it matters: This is the answer to “you shouldn’t have been on the road” — you had every right to be.
No one may open a vehicle door into traffic unless it is reasonably safe to do so. (Confirm current wording.)
Why it matters: In a dooring crash, the person who opened the door is typically at fault.
You can recover if less than 50% at fault; your award drops by your share.
Why it matters: Insurers try to pin fault on the rider. Read the statute page →
Georgia generally gives you two years to file — government-road claims far less.
Why it matters: Miss it and the claim is gone. Read the statute page →
Riding an e-bike? Read the Georgia e-bike classification guide
Statutory references current as of 2026. Always confirm current Georgia law — your specific case may involve additional or updated provisions.
Straight answers to what injured cyclists ask Kyle most.
Yes. A bicycle is treated as a vehicle, and cyclists generally have the same rights and duties as drivers. Drivers must share the road and, when passing, leave a safe distance of at least three feet.
When passing a cyclist traveling the same direction, a driver must leave at least three feet of clearance and keep it until safely past. A driver who crowds or clips a rider has likely violated the law — strong evidence of fault.
Dooring is when someone opens a vehicle door into the path of a passing cyclist. Georgia law prohibits opening a door on the traffic side unless it's reasonably safe, so the person who opened the door is typically at fault.
No. Whether a helmet was worn doesn't change who caused the crash, and any effect is generally limited to head injuries a helmet would have prevented. It doesn't excuse the driver who hit you. (Georgia requires helmets for riders under 16.)
Nothing up front. Kyle works on a contingency fee — you pay no attorney fee unless he recovers money for you, and the consultation is free.
Healing right now? These plain-English recovery guides cover what these injuries commonly involve, when to seek care, and why finishing your recovery matters to your claim — starting with why you shouldn’t settle before you’ve healed.
Wondering what your bicycle accident case is worth?
Get a free case review — a few quick questions, about a minute, without leaving this page. No obligation, and Kyle reviews every submission personally.
You had the right of way — and the law to prove it. Kyle Koester fights the anti-cyclist bias and holds the driver accountable. Free, confidential, and no fee unless he wins.