Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog
Bicyclists are present in nearly all areas of Chicago during the day and nighttime hours. Riding a bike can be an efficient means of transit in the city and can enable riders to avoid traffic, congestion, and other irksome problems that drivers face. However, the risks associated with bicycle transit should not be ignored as these riders are likely to be involved in bicycle accidents throughout Chicago, especially when a motorist fails to pay attention or fails to respect the rights of a nearby rider.
When an accident happens, a bike rider is injured in the majority of the instances and often is left to fight alone for his or her rights. But the laws in Illinois do not require this and rather allow any injury victim to retain an attorney of that victim’s choosing to seek and obtain the relief that is needed following a crash. If you have been hurt or if your loved one has suffered in a traffic accident, you may wish to speak with a personal injury lawyer to help you realize your options and to help you get the compensation that is due to cover all damages following the collision.
While relief can be available to these victims, the best situation arises when a crash is avoided or prevented, meaning that no one suffers from pain or injuries. To make this more of a possibility, automaker Volvo has developed a new product deemed “LifePaint” to increase the visibility of bicycles, riders, and others who are near roadways during dark hours.
LifePaint is described as an invisible spray that can coat nearly any material without damaging it. The spray is not visible during daylight hours but when hit by a car headlight in the dark, the spray makes the object it covers significantly more visible, much like it would be during the day. Riders are told they can coat their bicycles in the spray and that it will remain in place for up to 10 days or until the spray is washed away from the surface. Other options include applying the spray to clothing, safety gear like helmets, and even bags or backpacks that the cyclist might be carrying. The following video was released by Volvo in response to the development of LifePaint:
Increasing the visibility of bicyclists is believed to limit the number of crashes that happen between cars and bikes, something that is important to all those who use Chicago streets at night because of the hundreds of crashes that happen annually between these two groups. However, increased visibility may have added benefits when applied to others, like pedestrians, joggers, or even motorcyclists who are all vulnerable when near vehicles at night.
Currently, LifePaint is not available in American markets but there is hope that it will be soon. If it arrives stateside, it will remain to be seen whether cyclists will use the product to make the streets safer.
Chicago authorizes bicyclists to ride in the roads as a car drives on them. In some areas, cyclists even have their own lanes of transit or their own traffic signals to follow. Yet despite these rights and these efforts to make the city more bike-friendly, a large number of accidents happen because automobile drivers or others are not paying attention while they are on the roads. If this has happened to you and you have been injured, do not let your rights vanish before your eyes. Call the personal injury attorneys at Abels & Annes, P.C. toll free at (855) 529-2442 or locally at (312) 924-7575 and let us provide you with a free case consultation without obligation when you call us. We are standing by 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year to help you whenever you need it.
Prior Blog Entry:
Worker Loses Arm in Accident with Industrial Mixer, Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog, published March 30, 2015.
Resource:
Volvo LifePaint Can Help Save Lives of Cyclists: Here’s How, by Judy Mottl, Tech Times, published March 30, 2015.