Bicycle Accident

Chicago bike accident lawyers secure $40,000 settlement

July 27, 2011 | By Dave Abels

Illinois bicycle crash attorneys at Abels & Annes have negotiated a settlement on behalf of a cyclist and tri-athlete injured in a crash caused by a negligent motorist. The case settled for the insurance policy limits of the at fault driver, as well as additional compensation from her own under-insured motorist policy.

The accident took place on July 24, 2009, as the victim was traveling eastbound in a marked bicycle lane through the intersection of Chicago Avenue and Sangamon Street in Chicago, Illinois. A woman traveling westbound in a 2005 Nissan Ultima failed to properly yield to the cyclist, who had the right of way, causing her left hand and right knee to strike the car on impact. The victim’s momentum then took her up and over the hood before landing on her back, right shoulder, right head/helmet, and left hand. Following the collision, the victim had an immediate onset of right knee and left hand pain, swelling and bruising, head pain, and multiple lacerations and abrasion. She was then transported to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center by ambulance.

At the hospital, x-rays and CT scans were administered which came up negative for any fractures or brain/spine damage. After a night in the hospital, she was provided a pair of crutches, a prescription for pain medication, and instructions to follow-up with a doctor before being discharged.

Due to ongoing right knee pain, the woman went to see a doctor on August 14, 2009, who ordered an MRI scan for a possible meniscal tear. She also complained of low back pain that was radiating down into her right knee and lower leg. These injuries made it difficult for her to turn with a fixed foot, squat, or lie in bed at night, which was especially difficult for her as a tri-athlete. She described the pain in her left hand as constant. The August 19 MRI was luckily negative for serious injury. She was told to begin physical therapy and slowly increase her level of activity.

Over the next few months, the victim attended 21 physical therapy sessions between two locations and was still suffering from pain in her right knee and lower back. The pain was still persisting as of her latest evaluation on May 26, 2010, ten months after the accident, and still limiting her ability to compete in triathlons.

Our firm was able to settle with the at-fault driver for her entire policy limit of $25,000. In addition, the lawyers showed that the $25,000 was inadequate to fully compensate the victim for her injuries, and secured another $15,000 payment in under-insured motorist benefits from her own policy. The settlement allowed the victim to avoid litigation, and the court costs and stress that can come along with it.
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Kinzie Bike Lane Nears Completion; Reduction in Risk of Chicago Cycling Accidents the Goal

July 2, 2011 | By Dave Abels

As we recently reported on our Chicago Car Accident Lawyers Blog, Chicago has started a new project to help improve bicycle safety on our city’s roadways. The first phase of this project started on Kinzie. The city chose to construct bicycle lanes here because bicyclists account for more than 20 percent of the traffic on that roadway. It was also chosen because it’s a very congested area and very hazardous to bicycle riders.”I promised the people of Chicago that we would create 100 miles of shared bike lanes in the city to ensure our transportation network supports diverse and affordable ways of getting around,” said Mayor Emanuel. “These bike lanes will help ensure that all Chicagoans can get to work and travel in their neighborhoods in the safest and most efficient fashion possible. It’s about making sure that every dollar we spend is focused on building a city that works for all of its residents.”

Our Chicago personal injury attorneys are happy to announce that the City of Chicago has almost completed the project. The project kicked off Monday, June 6th and is expected to be completed shortly. Kinzie Street is now home to the city’s first protected bike lane. This is the first 1/2-mile lane of Mayor Emanuel’s plan for 100 miles of protected lanes citywide.

During the summer months, bicyclists of all types hit the open road to get some exercise, enjoy the beautiful weather and to practice some earth friendly traveling habits. Now, bicyclists can do all three on a new protected bike lane that provides cyclists with exclusive space in the roadway by separating bicycle and motor-vehicle traffic.

“This is a major milestone for Chicago in terms of transportation,” said CDOT Commissioner Gabe Klein. “No matter how someone wants to move around our city, they should be able to do so, and we are committed to finding every solution to advance the transportation system of the city of Chicago.”

More than 60 percent of the trips that Chicago travelers take are three miles or less. Chicago has been constructing eight additional miles of standard bike lanes each year, but has still continue to fall short of production in other major cities. These bike lanes are a part of a comprehensive effort to redefine the city’s bike and transportation plans.

The newly constructed bike lane sits adjacent to the curb. It is equipped with a lane width that varies between 5-1/2 to 7 feet wide. For safety reasons, the bike lane is separated from moving traffic by a 4-foot-wide buffer zone. This zone includes flexible posts that help delineate the lane.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were nearly 650 bicyclist fatalities resulting from motor-vehicle traffic accidents in the United States in 2009. There were an additional 51,000 bicyclists injured in these incidents. Bicyclist fatalities accounted for 2 percent of all traffic accident deaths for the entire year. Approximately 70 percent of all bicyclist fatalities occurred in rural areas. Illinois experienced approximately 20 bicyclist deaths in 2009 alone.
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Windy City Rated Near Top by Cyclists; Advocates Work to Reduce Risk of Chicago Bicycle Accidents

June 13, 2011 | By Dave Abels

The Windy City has once again been named one of the nation’s Top 10 cycling cities as safety advocates and others continue to work together to add cycling infrastructure and reduce the risk of Chicago bicycle accidents.

Our Chicago bicycle accident lawyers have reported on a number of initiatives recently, including the announcement that protected bike lanes would be coming to Chicago — the first of at least 100 miles of protected bike lanes planned by Mayor Rahm Emanuel.Bicycle Magazine announced the Top 10 cities are Minneapolis, Portland, Boulder, Seattle, Eugene, San Francisco, Madison, New York City, Tucson and Chicago. It’s the second year in a row the city ranked 10th best in the nation.

“One of my top priorities as mayor is to create a bike network that allows every Chicagoan — from kids on their first ride to senior citizens on their way to the grocery store — to feel safe on our streets,” Emanuel said. “When you hop on your bike this year, please remember to bike responsibly, with care for yourself and your fellow Chicagoans.”

The City of Chicago has more than 110 miles of on-street bike lanes, more than 30 miles of shared bike lanes, and many miles of off-street paths — including the Lakefront Trail, which is nearly 20 miles. The city also has installed and maintained 12,000 bike racks and has sheltered bike parking at many CTA rail stations, according to the Chicago Department of Transportation.

While the vast majority of accidents are caused by careless or inattentive drivers, the city also recently began a crackdown on cyclists as authorities push safety through the summer riding months, the Chicago Tribune reported. Police handed out 240 warnings and 1 ticket during the two-hour morning rush.

The city DOT reports about 1,300 Chicago bicycle accidents occur each year — about five riders are killed. Our Chicago personal injury lawyers understand that many more are very seriously injured — a number that could continue to climb with the popularity of cycling unless there continues to be significant emphasis on safety.

Resources

Lake Front Trail Map

Chicago Bicycle Laws
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Chicago bike accident on the North Shore injures 1

May 2, 2011 | By Dave Abels

Just after Chicago bicycle accident attorneys at Abels & Annes cautioned that as warm weather arrives, so does the increased risk of motor vehicle vs. bicycle collisions, there comes word that a bicyclist has been injured in Evanston. Tribune Local is reporting that the incident occurred near the South Boulevard CTA station on Friday afternoon.

A 32-year-old Chicago resident who was riding from Glencoe back to his residence was hit by a car turning to go westbound on South Boulevard from Chicago Avenue. The bike rider was knocked to the ground. He suffered abrasions to his knees, left elbow and knuckles. He was treated at the scene by paramedics.

The Evanston Police Department handled the crash investigation. After an investigation, police issued a citation to the driver for an improper right turn.

Spring brings beautiful weather, increased risk of Chicago bicycle accidents

May 1, 2011 | By Dave Abels

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.
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Dooring to be tracked as cause of bicycle accidents in Chicago, elsewhere

April 28, 2011 | By Dave Abels

Hazards are inescapable for bicyclists — motorists, weather, road conditions and pedestrians can all serve as safety hazards. But there is one common risk we tend to overlook — dooring. Over the past several years Chicago bike accident attorneys at Abels & Annes have settled several cases on behalf of Illinois bicyclists that were injured by opening car doors.

As we recently reported on our Chicago Car Accident Lawyer Blog, officials have strengthened laws in Illinois to help keep cyclists safe. However, the Chicago Tribune reported that state transportation officials initially rejected pleas from cycling advocates to keep tabs on dooring incidents; advocates consider it to be one of the most common types of bike accidents in Chicago and elsewhere.Our Chicago personal injury lawyers urge bicyclists to keep an eye out for careless motorists. While the state has now agreed to track the issue, it will take more public awareness to reduce the number of instances in which a motorist carelessly opens a door into the path of a rider.

“We were never against collecting the data. There was never really any large effort to make us aware that doorings could be an issue,” IDOT spokesman Guy Tridgell said.

A new article in the Chicago Tribune reports that a change ordered by Gov. Pat Quinn will now require that collisions caused by the doors of parked vehicles opening into the path of bicyclists be counted as crashes in Illinois. The new rule is effective immediately and requires that police departments across the state now record these dooring accidents on Illinois traffic crash forms.

“Anyone who rides a bike can tell you that dooring is a serious issue,” said Gov. Pat Quinn. “One of the best ways we can increase public safety is by making sure we’ve got the best and most comprehensive data possible. That’s why we’ve made this change.”

This new line of accident data will be incorporated into annual traffic reports created by the Illinois Department of Transportation. As dooring accidents often cause serious injury or death, recording the data will allow officials to create a policies and prevention initiatives.

“We hope to use the data to obtain funding for education safety so drivers as well as bicyclists know what the risks are and what the factors are to create safer roadways,” said Dan Persky, director of education at the Active Transportation Alliance.
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Lobbying for New Bike Lane to Reduce Risks of Chicago Bicycling Accidents

April 12, 2011 | By Dave Abels

Chicago’s Department of Transportation is lobbying for a new bicycle lane along one of the underserved commuter corridors to help increase cyclist safety and reduce the risks of a Chicago bicycle accidents.

The projected lane, called ‘Cycle Track’, will be constructed for recreational and commuter use and will consist of a barricade barrier to help protect cyclists from the speedy and potentially dangerous traffic, according to bikeradar.com.Our Chicago personal injury lawyers understand that cycling is done for fun, recreation and fitness. And it is an activity most popular with middle-aged men. Unfortunately those same men are the most likely victims of a serious or fatal accident, which can leave a family financially devastated. We encourage you to bike smart and watch for motorists.

The new bike lane, if approved, would provide a raised concrete planter box, acting as a shield, to separate a bike-only lane from traffic lanes. A portion of a $3.2 million federal grant would be used to fund construction of the lane from 69th to 77th streets down Stony Island Avenue.

“This type of bike route could offer a model for certain areas,” says Anne Alt of the Chicago Cycling Club, noting that the area would be a wise choice as hasn’t always been so cycle friendly. “Before the interstate highways were built, Stony Island was the equivalent of a highway for Chicago’s south side. It still carries a very high volume of traffic at higher-than-average speeds for a city street.”

As we recently reported on our Chicago Personal Injury Lawyers Blog, the city remains the most dangerous place in the state of Illinois for bicycling accidents. As the Illinois Department of Transportation reports Chicago bicycle accidents accounted for one-fourth of all fatal crashes, claiming five lives and injuring nearly 1,400 cyclists.

The City of Chicago’s Safety in Motion campaign offers our bicyclists these safety tips:

-First and foremost, always wear your helmet. This piece of protective gear can mean either life or death with an accident involving a motor vehicle.

-Make sure your bike is equipped with rear-reflectors. The bigger these reflectors, the more effective they’ll be in making your presence known to drivers. Be sure to angle them correctly, not too far up or too far down but straight back behind you. Remember that only red ones are legal.

-Put a headlight on your bike. Make sure it’s battery-powered and is either a halogen or strobe light. It is recommended for you to have the brightest, white light you can fine. Red is shunned as a front-bike light.

-Be sure to ride slower in the rain and remember that motorists may have a more difficult time seeing you in poor weather conditions.

-Plan your route ahead of time. This will allow you to choose safer routes, avoid busy traffic and keep yourself from being stranded from exhaustion.

-Be courteous around other bicyclists. When sharing a road or path, make sure to use signals and acknowledge one another as crashes can occur when the proper precautions are not taken.
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Bike count aims to improve infrastructure, reduce risk of Chicago bicycle accidents

March 10, 2011 | By Dave Abels

The results of the first ever bicycle-count study have been released as officials prepare for the spring riding season and work to reduce the risk of Chicago bicycle accidents.

The Chicago Department of Transportation reports Milwaukee Avenue is the most heavily biked road in the city. Bicycles made up less than 2 percent of traffic on most roads, compared to between 8 percent and 20 percent of traffic on Milwaukee Avenue. And, while 17 of 26 locations studied reported about 200 bicycles daily, the 600 block of North Milwaukee Avenue reported more than 3,000.Wells Street also recorded some of the city’s heaviest bicycle traffic.

The study was conducted during the summer and fall of 2009. Results were released last week. As our Chicago bicycle accident attorneys reported recently on our Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog, bike lanes that share space with motorists increase the risk of a serious or fatal injury. Incoming Mayor Rahm Emanuel has proposed adding 100 miles of Chicago bicycle trails by the end of his first term.

Heavy bicycle traffic was found in the following areas:

-640 N. Milwaukee Avenue: 3,121
-1616 N. Milwaukee Avenue: 1,065
-1325 N. Wells Street: 1,501
-2225 W. Lawrence St.: 644
-2710 S. Halsted St.: 889
The city’s master bicycle plan, Bike 2015, aims to increase bicycle use to 5 percent of all trips under 5 miles. Of the 26 areas studied in this first count, 19 were dedicated bile lanes and four were city streets with shared lanes. The other three locations included a bus/bike lane and two streets without marked bike lanes.
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Riders remain at high-risk for Chicago bicycle accidents

March 2, 2011 | By Dave Abels

Chicago bicycle accidents remain a serious threat, particularly for middle-aged men, despite newly released statistics that show a significant decline in the number of fatal cycling accidents nationwide.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported this month that 630 cyclists were killed and 51,000 were injured in bicycle accidents in 2009. That’s down 12 percent from the 718 who were killed in 2008.Twenty riders were killed in Illinois bicycle accidents; that’s down from 27 who died in 2008. The Illinois Department of Transportation reports Chicago bicycle accidents accounted for one-fourth of all fatal crashes, claimed five lives and injuries nearly 1,400.

Officials continue to look for ways to improve safety. Last fall, we reported on our Chicago Car Accident Lawyers Blog that officials were looking to expand the Lakefront Trail in an effort to reduce congestion and the risk of Chicago bicycle and pedestrian accidents.

The new data released by the government also confirms a growing trend as cycling for recreation and fitness has become increasingly popular: Middle-aged men are most at risk. The average age of cyclists killed was 41, while the average age of those injured was 31. More than 80 percent of those injured or killed were men and about one-third of all those fatally injured (244) were ages 35 to 54.

Cycling Safety Tips:

-Wear brightly colored clothing, and use reflective tape, lights and reflectors at night.

-Use hand signals and obey all traffic laws.

-Drivers need to share the road — giving a rider at least 3-feet of clearance at all times.

-Drivers and riders alike should pay particular attention at intersections, where many crashes occur.

-Drivers need to watch for riders before opening car doors or pulling out of parking lots or parallel parking spots.

-Riders should ride in the same direction as traffic.
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Emanuel would add 100 miles of cycling trails, reduce Chicago bicycle accidents

February 14, 2011 | By Dave Abels

Mayoral candidate Rahm Emanuel has a plan to expand Chicago’s bicycle network that would reduce the number of Chicago bicycle accidents and give the city 100 miles of protected bike lanes by the end of his first term, the Sun-Times reported.

Our Chicago personal injury lawyers have reported on the great strides made in turning the area into one of the nation’s best cycling cities. Still, bicycle accidents remain a real threat to the health and safety of those who cycle for fun, transportation or fitness.The Illinois Department of Transportation reports 1,460 Chicago bicycle accidents occurred in 2009, claiming 5 lives and injuring nearly 1,400.

Emanuel’s plan includes the creation of the Bloomingdale Trail — a $75 million, 2.65-mile trail built along Bloomingdale Avenue for cyclists traveling downtown and for school children traveling to one of the dozen schools nearby. He also wants to require downtown buildings to offer bike storage. A similar law has been passed in New York City and was successful in increasing the number of commuter cyclists.

NYC’s plan included adding 200 miles of bile lanes. Transportation Alternatives reports the improvements increased the average number of daily cyclists to 236,000 — up 28 percent from the 185,000 daily cyclists the previous year.

The number of miles traveled by bike also increased, from 1.4 million to 1.8 million.

Authorities increasingly see cycling as a viable option to reduce congestion. But, while the number of other types of fatal accident has declined in recent years, the increasing popularity of cycling has held fatality numbers constant at between 700 and 800 per year. In 2008, 716 cyclists were killed and more than 52,000 were injured in bicycle accidents nationwide.

Middle-aged men are now the most likely to be killed in a bicycle accident; that age has increased from 32 in 1998 to 41 in 2008. Nearly two-thirds of all bicycle fatalities now involve an adult between the ages of 25 and 64.
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