The man had been struck by a black SUV around 4:40 a.m. while he was walking near the 2400 block of North Ridgeway Avenue in Chicago. The SUV did not stop.
As a personal injury attorney in Chicago, I have had more than one case of pedestrians being hit by motorists in vans or SUVs late at night with the van or SUV then speeding away. Walking in alleys is especially dangerous at night. Some of the hits almost seemed to be intentional in that there was no horn sounded and no attempts to stop. So it is prudent not to trust the drivers of any vehicle driving around late at night or in early morning hours in Chicago.
]]>The right cross
This is the situation where a motor vehicle is pulling out from a side street, private driveway or alleyway from the bicyclists right side. The driver is looking for cars and often pulls up into the path of the bicyclist. This situation is especially common in Chicago since many alleyway exits have cars parked right up to the the exit to the alleyway so that cars exiting the alleyway have very poor visibility of bikes on the roadway. Ways to avoid this type of collision include using a head light, slowing down before exits and trying to make eye contact with the motorist to determine if the motorist has seen you or not.
The door prize
This one is also very common in Chicago since most of the so called "bike routes" run parallel to parked cars. Many people do not even think to look before opening their car door in to the path of the painted bike route. The only way to avoid this one is try to ride farther to the left which puts the bicyclist closer to moving traffic which is more dangerous or to look for people who are sitting in their cars parked and who may be getting ready to exit their cars.
The right hook
This is a common one for bicyclists riding on Chicago bike routes. A motorist passes the bicyclist on the left then makes a right turn across the bike route right in front of the bicyclist. All a bicyclist can do to avoid this maneuver is to watch for right turn signals. TO BE CONTINUED
]]>First, wear a helmet to protect your brain and save your life. Traumatic brain injury is one of the leading causes of death in bicycle accidents.
Make sure that your bicycle is a proper fit. If you need to adjust the seat height and handlebar height, make sure you do so before hitting the road.
Make sure that the bicycle is in good condition and its tires are properly inflated.
Wear bright clothes so that you can be seen. Wear neon, fluorescent, loud and obnoxious colors. You want to be seen. Keep in mind that just because you see a driver, does not mean that the driver can see you.
Watch for road hazards such as potholes, loose gravel, broken glass, puddles.
Try not to ride in the dark. Darkness is far more dangerous for bikers than daylight because you are harder to see. If you have to ride at night, make sure you can be seen and that your bike has reflectors.
Obey the rules of the road. Many bicycle-related crashes resulting in injury or death are caused by bicyclist’s behavior, including not wearing a bicycle helmet, riding into a street without stopping, turning left or swerving into traffic that is coming from behind, running a stop sign, and riding the wrong way in traffic.
If you have suffered a bicycle-related injury, call the Chicago personal injury attorneys for a free consultation.
]]>It is very important for bicyclists to realize that the rules of the road apply to them. They can cause personal injuries just like automobiles. Although there is no bicycle liability insurance, their general homeowners liability insurance will cover negligent acts that they commit. Although bicycle injuries caused by a collision with another bicycle are rare, they may have serious consequences and victims of personal injuries, including injuries to pedestrians.
The Chicago bicycle injuries attorneys have handled numerous cases that involve bicycle vs. bicycle collision or bicycle vs. pedestrian collision. With the nice weather and expensive gas, there are more bicyclists on the road and the sidewalk than ever. We urge all bicyclists to be careful when they drive. Download our Free Bicycle Safety Brochure.
]]>Surprisingly, even though they both plead guilty to aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and leaving the scene of an accident, Fabian got only probation and Reza got only 10 days in jail.
Given the fact that the bicyclists could have easily been seriously injured or killed the sentences seem too light. Bicyclists have enough to worry about without having crazy morons purposely trying to run them down.
]]>Common sense dictates that bladers and bikers need to go very slow when riding along the crowded beaches. Additionally, parents need to watch their kids and keep them from running across the path without looking. Lastly, a parent has to be crazy to take their beginning biker children to learn to ride on the Chicago lake front bike path. The path is not even safe for experienced adults.
]]>Sadowsky still sees areas where the city is still lacking. One of the top priorities for the Alliance is to have bike lanes in Chicago physically separate from from the car lanes. This is being done in other United States cities and in Europe. After all, a bicycle is no match for a car and Chicago bicyclist are injured by cars every week, especially in the summer. It is simply not safe to ride ones bike down a busy street like Western Ave. in Chicago, though many people do. Many more people would ride bikes in Chicago if it were safe to do so.
]]>The law would be especially relevant in Chicago where some motorists seem to be openly hostile to bicyclists. In recent weeks, Chicago bicyclists have been injured by motorists who appear to have intentionally hit the bicyclists with their cars. This law will address situations where motorists are driving close to bicyclists just to harass them.
]]>LaHood's announcement was praised by biking organizations such as League of American Bicyclists along with local Chicago bicyclist groups.