Articles Posted in Bicycle Accidents

As temperatures drop and snow begins to fall, many Chicagoans pack away their bikes for the season. Yet, an increasing number of dedicated cyclists continue to rely on bicycles for transportation—even through the harsh Midwest winter. While winter biking may not be for everyone, it is becoming more common, and both cyclists and motorists must adapt to share the road safely.  The bike injury lawyers of Zneimer & Zneimer P.C. note that bike riding during the winter months in Chicago can be treacherous for obvious reasons.

Is Winter Biking in Chicago Realistic?

Maybe with extreme caution. Chicago’s cycling infrastructure, including protected bike lanes and the Divvy bike-share system, makes year-round biking possible for some. However, snow, ice, slush, and reduced daylight make conditions more dangerous than in warmer months.  Additionally, most of Chicago’s “bike lanes” such as the lanes that run down Lawrence Ave., Lincoln Ave. and Damen Ave. are not protected bike lanes and run along the parked car lane.  Cyclists who choose to ride in winter must use extra caution, wear reflective and layered clothing, and ensure their bikes have good traction tires and bright front and rear lights.

Los abogados de accidentes de bicicleta en Chicago de Zneimer & Zneimer P.C. saben que una de las causas más comunes de los accidentes graves en bicicleta es la falta de visibilidad durante la noche. Incluso el ciclista más cuidadoso puede ser atropellado por un conductor que simplemente no lo ve hasta que es demasiado tarde.

Las Bicicletas Son Difíciles de Ver de Noche

Cuando cae la noche, las bicicletas son mucho más difíciles de detectar en la carretera, especialmente a distancia o cuando las luces de los autos crean reflejos o sombras. Las calles de Chicago están llenas de tráfico, autos estacionados e intersecciones, lo que hace aún más difícil para los conductores notar a los ciclistas a tiempo. Muchos choques nocturnos ocurren porque el conductor no vio la bicicleta hasta el momento del impacto.

Con el cambio de horario por el Daylight Saving Time, las tardes en Chicago se vuelven oscuras más temprano, justo cuando muchos regresan a casa del trabajo o la escuela. Este cambio estacional crea condiciones peligrosas para los ciclistas que circulan por las calles de la ciudad. En Zneimer & Zneimer P.C., nuestros abogados de lesiones personales han representado a numerosos ciclistas lesionados después del anochecer — muchos de ellos simplemente regresaban a casa. Conocer los peligros de andar en bicicleta de noche y las obligaciones de los conductores puede ayudar a prevenir tragedias.

Oscuridad y Luces Altas: Una Combinación Peligrosa

Durante los meses de invierno, el sol puede ponerse tan temprano como a las 4:30 p.m., lo que significa que muchos viajes cortos ocurren en condiciones de poca luz o en completa oscuridad. Las luces delanteras intensas de los automóviles pueden cegar temporalmente a los conductores, dificultando ver a ciclistas que circulan al borde del carril. El problema empeora en calles angostas o cuando la lluvia o la nieve reflejan el brillo de los faros.

As daylight saving time ends, Chicago evenings grow darker earlier—often just as commuters head home. This seasonal change creates a perfect storm for bicycle accidents on Chicago streets.  The bike injury lawyers of Zneimer & Zneimer P.C., have represented cyclists injured after dark, many of whom were simply trying to get home safely. Understanding the unique dangers of biking at night—and how motorists can help prevent tragedy—is crucial for everyone sharing the road.

Darkness and Headlight Glare: A Dangerous Combination

With sunset arriving as early as 4:30 p.m. in winter months, even short commutes occur in low-light or dark conditions. Bright headlights from oncoming traffic can momentarily blind motorists, making it difficult to see cyclists riding along the edge of the lane. This effect is especially severe on narrow Chicago streets or when rain, snow, or wet pavement reflects the glare.

Bike riding has taken off in Chicago in the last few years. More bike riding has predictably lead to more bike accidents. The bike accident lawyers of Zneimer & Zneimer P.C. have witnessed the rise of bike accidents first hand, with more injury cases calling than ever. One of the most common types of bike crashes that Zneimer & Zneimer P.C. handle are “dooring” accidents.  In Chicago the majority of bike lanes run right next to parked cars, and that proximity creates a serious and underappreciated danger: the risk of being “doored.” In a dooring accident, a motorist or passenger forgets to look for bikes and opens a vehicle door into the path of an oncoming bicyclist, causing a collision, most often throwing the biker off their bike that often results in an injury.

In this post, we’ll explain why dooring is a uniquely dangerous hazard in Chicago, what the law says about it, relevant crash data, and how injured cyclists can protect their rights.

Why “Dooring” Is Especially Risky in Chicago

Dangerous potholes in Chicago

Cycling in Chicago and throughout Illinois has become more than a trend. For many, it is a lifestyle and represents a means of commuting, staying active, and enjoying the city. But it also comes with risks. With the exception of car accidents, one of the most common and often most dangerous hazards facing cyclists in this city is the pothole. These street craters can buckle rims, send riders over handlebars, and result in serious personal injuries. Understandably, when this happens, the next question is whether the City of Chicago or any other Illinois city or municipality can be held responsible.

The answer is rarely simple. The City, like most municipalities in Illinois, benefits from broad legal immunity under the Local Governmental and Governmental Employees Tort Immunity Act. This law protects cities and their employees from liability in many situations. And in practice, it means that injured bicyclists often face an uphill battle when seeking compensation for injuries caused by potholes.

The governmental immunity is not absolute. It depends on the location of the accident, the nature of the hazard, what the City knew or should have known, and whether the injured person was using the street or path in a way the law considers “intended.”

A recent case from the Illinois Supreme Court illustrates the limits of municipal liability. In Alave v. City of Chicago, the plaintiff was injured while riding his bicycle through a crosswalk. Although the area included Divvy bike stations and signage encouraging cycling, the court held that the cyclist was not an “intended user” of that crosswalk. The court emphasized that the presence of bikes nearby was not enough as the critical factor was that the crosswalk itself had not been designated for bicycle travel. The case was dismissed, reinforcing a hard truth – unless a path, lane, or street is specifically marked or designed for bicycles (in other words “intended” for bicyclists), the City may not owe a duty of care to cyclists injured there.

The decision in Alave followed the same logic as an earlier appellate decision in Berz v. City of Evanston, where the plaintiff was injured while biking through an alley. The court held that the alley was not intended for bicyclists, and therefore, the City could not be held liable for the defect that caused the injury. These cases make clear that even in bike-friendly neighborhoods, cyclists are not always protected if they are riding in areas not explicitly meant for bike use.

So what does it mean to be an “intended user”? Under Illinois law, a city has a duty to keep its property reasonably safe for those whom it intends to use it. If the city provides a designated bike lane, then a cyclist in that lane is an intended user. But if the cyclist is riding on a sidewalk, an alley, or a Continue reading

The Chicago bike injury lawyers of Zneimer & Zneimer P.C. have handled a number of cases where bicyclists or scooter riders were injured after hitting a defect on the bike path or road way.  A recent Illinois Supreme Court decision, Alave v. City of Chicago, highlights a harsh legal reality: even when the City encourages bicycling, it may not be legally responsible for unsafe streets unless the road is officially designated for bike use.

In Alave, the plaintiff, Clark Alave, was seriously injured while riding his own bicycle at night near the intersection of West Leland Avenue and North Western Avenue. As he crossed the street near a Divvy station, his front wheel dropped into a deep pothole hidden in the crosswalk. The fall knocked out teeth, caused facial scarring, and left him with hip and shoulder injuries. He sued the City of Chicago for negligence, alleging that the City knew or should have known about the hazardous road condition.

Alave’s attorneys pointed to the Divvy station located just 100 feet from the crash site, as well as City ordinances that restrict sidewalk riding for adults and treat bicyclists like vehicle drivers on the road. They argued that the City intended for cyclists to ride in that area and therefore had a duty to maintain the street in a safe condition.