One of the best things about living in Chicago is the summer festival scene, bringing countless forms of entertainment to the city and allowing residents and visitors alike to partake in the events. Some of the most popular fests that hit the city feature or focus on music and one of those, PItchfork Music Festival, returns to Chicago this weekend.
Celebrating its 10th year, Pitchfork will return this Friday through Sunday in Chicago’s Union Park. Gates will open at 1 p.m. on Friday and 11 a.m. on both Saturday and Sunday but the city is primed to feel the impact of the fest before those times. With approximately 20,000 people in attendance last year, the areas surrounding Union Park are gearing up for an increase in the amount of vehicular, pedestrian, and bicycle traffic they will experience and are attempting to alleviate congestion issues before they occur.
However, not all congestion will be avoided and traffic backups are likely as a result. Add in the fact that many motorists will be unfamiliar with Chicago’s streets and you can understand why the risk for a car accident or a pedestrian collision will be so high this weekend. It is always best to avoid a crash or to prevent an accident from happening when possible so if you will be in downtown Chicago during PItchfork, keep the following tips in mind:
– Know Before You Go: Be mindful of road closures, traffic detours, and festival entrance locations before you leave home. Even if you are not attending Pitchfork, all this information will still be important to you so that you can avoid as much congestion as possible and reduce your risk for being involved in a car accident.
– Consider Using Public Transportation: In response to the anticipated crowds, several forms of public transportation are increasing their services to make a trip to and from Union Park more appealing. The CTA is increasing bus service and rail trips at locations near the park and they will extend the time of some of their normal runs to provide high-capacity service after the festival closes at night. If you are coming into Chicago from the suburbs, look into a local Metra train to see if that service will fit your needs and save you from the need to drive. Divvy, the city’s bike-share program, will be on site to help valet bicycles for those who choose to utilize its services.
– Watch For Pedestrians At All Times: At some point, no matter how they arrive at Union Park, all the attendants for Pitchfork will become pedestrians. They may cross city streets at crosswalks or they may cross mid-block. They may be confused about where to enter the fest or where to exit. If you are driving, be prepared for pedestrians at all times and expect the unexpected. When a pedestrian accident happens, the pedestrian involved is injured or killed more than 95 percent of the time in Chicago, so avoiding a collision is the best bet when it comes to ensuring safety.
– NEVER DRINK AND DRIVE: Odds are that some people will choose to drink alcohol while they enjoy the music at Pitchfork but celebrating should not be seen as a license to ignore all common sense. Alcohol slows down a driver’s decision-making ability and substantially increases the odds that a collision will occur, so if you will be drinking, abstain from driving and instead utilize a taxi cab, designated driver, bus, or train to get home.
The personal injury attorneys at Abels & Annes, P.C. hope you enjoy your weekend and the Pitchfork Music Festival. But if an accident happens and you need help, rest assured knowing that our legal team will be standing by 24/7 to take your call and to help you understand your legal rights.
We offer all injury victims a free case consultation without obligation when they call us toll free at (855) 529-2442 or locally at (312) 924-7575 and the consultation will always cover the specifics of your accident. If we represent you for your injuries, we will fight for the best possible outcome in your case and we will never charge you a fee unless we make a recovery on your behalf.
Prior Blog Entry:
Alleged Driver Caught after Fatal Hit-And-Run with Bicyclist, Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog, published July 15, 2015.
Resource:
Pitchfork Music Festival: What you need to know, by Tracy Swartz, Chicago Tribune, published July 16, 2015.