Marietta, GA (October 11, 2018) – Bicyclist Stewart Bryson, 46, has a stable fracture of the C3 vertebrae after a hit-and-run accident with a pickup truck left him injured and alone on the side of the road at 1:40 PM on Sunday afternoon.
Thankfully, Bryson never rode her bike his GoPro camera attached to the front, recording everything in his path. His ride started out like any other, taking his regular weekend route along Canton Road, east of Cobb Parkway when someone started aggressively honking at him from behind. Suddenly the driver of a 2012 Dodge Ram truck, who was later identified as Phillip Dwaine Harris, 69, swerved around the cyclist leaving barely inches between them.
After he veered back into the lane, Harris suddenly slammed on his brakes causing Bryson to slam into the tailgate of his truck going approximately 13 miles per hour. Bryson, who luckily was wearing a helmet, flipped over the handlebars of his bike, smashed into the truck’s tailgate and landed in the road next to his bike, unconscious. Harris sped off leaving the scene of the accident and the injured man behind. Fortunately, Harris’ GoPro captured the entire event including enough of the suspect’s license plate that the police were quickly able to make an arrest.
Harris was charged with four misdemeanor counts including aggressive driving, and hit-and-run.
Georgia Bicycle Accidents
People often forget that on most roadways bicycles are afforded much the same safety concerns as motorists, such as signaling and allowing three feet in between you and the car or cyclist that you are passing. Drivers are also not supposed to honk their horns to try and cyclists to speed up as the sudden loud noise may startle the rider and cause an accident all by itself. Determining fault in a bicycle vs car accident, just like any other accident, comes down to determine who broke the law. In other words, which party was negligent and therefore considered to be the party at fault. Cyclists are expected to follow the rules of the road as they apply to them such as using hand signals to indicate a turn or stop, riding as far as possible to the righthand side of the road, and having the proper lights and/or reflectors installed in the proper positions in case of darkness or inclement weather. Cyclists are not, despite common belief, required to use a bike lane even if one is present, or yield way for bigger or faster vehicles. They are permitted to ride in the lane of traffic and vehicles must obey all rules of the road when attempting to pass.
If you or someone you know was involved in a bike vs car accident, it is in your best interest to call Nye Law Group right away. We will listen to you and help you evaluate your situation to set you up for the best possible outcome.
For a free consultation with us call 912-200-5230
Note: A variety of outsides sources including news bulletins and police reports were used to create these posts and report on the injuries involved. Due to this, the details of these accidents have not been independently confirmed by our team and writing staff. In the event that false information is included in the story, please contact us immediately with the post’s title and the incorrect information, and we will correct the content.
Disclaimer: We at Nye Law Group pride ourselves as members of our local community and strive to improve the overall safety and wellbeing of everyone in our state. Our deepest condolences go out to those injured in these accidents, and we hope that by promoting an awareness of these dangers, our community can take the steps necessary to avoid them. These posts are not a solicitation for business, and the information provided should not be mistaken as medical or legal advice.