As the weather provides longer, beautiful days, many Chicago cyclists break out their biking equipment and hit the trail to enjoy what Mother Nature has to offer. One thing bicyclists don’t enjoy during their strolls through town are inattentive drivers. The Chicago area offers several of the nation’s best bike paths, according to a recent article posted by Yahoo! Sports.
Our Chicago cycling accident lawyers urge you to bike these trails safely and to be cautious of drivers who may not recognize or respect your presence on the road.Many bike trails take riders by beautiful scenery along paved paths. And many bicyclists ride closer to home, through densely populated areas. With the increasing popularity of bicycling as both a recreational activity and a fitness activity, more and more first time riders are hitting the outdoors hoping to make it a part of their routine for exercise, weight loss and stress relief.
The Chicago Bicycling Program is urging even more residents to get up and get moving on their bicycles to help promote happy and healthy lifestyles. The bicycling advocates promote the use of bikes as an effective form of transportation to help residents save money, stay healthy and help the environment.
Most riders use the natural lighting provided in the daytime hours for their rides. Because of this popular riding time and with the days getting longer, about 75 percent of bicyclist fatalities occurred between the hours of 4 a.m. and 8 p.m. This is also when the majority of motor vehicles are on the road — frequently trying to share the same space.
The most commonly injured were riders between the ages of 25 and 34, while the age group suffering the most fatalities were those between the ages of 45 and 54. Men are typically seven-times more likely to be killed and four-times more likely to be injured in a bicycle-motor vehicle accident than women.
Motorists and bicyclist are urged make a conscious effort to help one another on our roadways as we all work to reduce the number of accidents. As springtime gets under way, more and more of us will be hitting Illinois roads. Please practice alert driving when traveling. Cautious driving habits can help us bring down the number of bicyclist fatalities, as Illinois experienced 20 in 2009.
A printable Chicago bike trail map is available on the Chicago Bicycling Program website for your enjoyment and navigation.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a bicycle accident, the personal injury attorneys and wrongful death lawyers at Abels & Annes offer you a free and confidential appointment to discuss your rights. Call (312) 924-7575. There is no fee unless you win.