Robert Goldwater

No federal rule governs how you ride. Federal regulations reach the machine itself and stop there. In nearly every locale a cycle is classified alongside cars under the legal framework, handing you the same protections and obligations as any operator. Each state, jurisdiction and municipality layers its own rules on top, which is why Texas cycling rules and California...

Bike accidents cause harm ranging from minor skin scrapes to life-changing head injuries. The most common include soft-tissue damage, broken bones (especially the collarbone), and head wounds. Head injuries alone cause more than 60% of fatal cycling outcomes. In 2023, US hospitals treated 341,774 nonfatal cases. Of those, roughly 50,000 involved motor vehicles, and 1,166...

The most common cause of serious bicycle accidents is a broadside crash at an intersection, where an automobile and a rider cross paths, accounting for about 35% of fatal and serious crashes. The top factors are unsafe velocity (16.5%), failing to yield (16.3%), and improper turning (15%). In 82% of fatal crashes, the front of the automobile struck the cyclist, meaning...

Bicycle helmets cut the odds of a fatal head injury by roughly two thirds and any brain injury by about half. Significant protection, not immunity. After a crash, a second number matters more. No state requires an adult cyclist to wear one, yet only a handful stop an insurer from using your bare head against you.
We ride, and we represent cyclists hit while riding....

About one-third of bicycle injuries treated in emergency rooms involve the head, and head injuries cause roughly 60% of cyclist deaths. The exact figure depends on whether a study counts all bike crashes, hospital visits, or fatalities. Helmets cut head injury risk by about half. How Common Are Head Injuries in Bike Crashes? Head injuries occur in about one in three non-fatal...

Yes, in most states you can face charges for riding a bike under the influence. Statutes covering “any vehicle” include bicycles; those saying “motor vehicle” usually do not. That can bring fines, potential jail time, a criminal record, and in some states the loss of your license. Many people assume biking home is the responsible choice, but DUI...

In 2023, 1,155 bicyclists were killed in traffic crashes in the United States, the highest recorded number and an 86% increase from the 2010 low point. Cyclists account for just 1% of all trips, yet they represent 2–3% of all motor-vehicle-related deaths. Most fatal bicycle crashes occur in urban areas, at non-intersection locations, and increasingly involve light trucks...

Georgia recorded 965 bicycle crashes and 22 bicyclist deaths in 2024, according to the state fact sheet the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety released this year. That crash count is the highest in the 5 years the state publishes, and the death toll is the second lowest. Those 2 numbers move in opposite directions, with more riders being hit and fewer dying, and...