Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog
If you live in Chicago, you may notice bicyclists year-round as they travel across the city. Cycling traffic may be present in all months of the year but now is a time that many drivers notice an uptick in the bike traffic: the weather is improving and, with it, the ability of many riders to take to the streets.
Now that the calendar has turned to May, it is officially National Bike Month. This means that communities like Chicago may be celebrating by hosting various bike-related activities including a Bike to Work Week, bicycle education events, and giveaways. National Bike Month is sponsored by multiple agencies across the country but the activities involved often reflect the communities in which they are held. Some areas, like Chicago, are considered bicycle friendly and therefore may have more events planned than smaller, less bicycle friendly areas.
Whether or not you ride a bicycle in Chicago, bicycle safety should be important to you because of the large number of riders in the city. The number of bicycle accidents in the Chicago area continues to be high and numerous riders are injured annually in collisions with cars, something that all drivers and all riders should be aware of.
To mark the start of National Bike Month, the personal injury attorneys at Abels & Annes, P.C. would like to remind you of the following safety tips when it comes to bicycling in Illinois:
– Obey All Traffic Signals: Whether you are driving a car or riding a bicycle, traffic signals likely govern your ride. Everyone is charged with obeying the traffic signals as they apply to their mode of transit and failing to do so may be a violation of local or state laws. Further, failing to obey a traffic signal may increase the risk for a bike collision occurring.
– Yield the Right-of-Way: Being in a rush is no excuse to ignore the rules of the road. If you are at an intersection, if you are merging, or if you are turning, make sure you always yield the right-of-way. Allowing both motorists and bicyclists to proceed in an orderly fashion will prevent vehicles traveling in opposite directions from occupying the same place at the same time, thereby preventing accidents that may otherwise occur.
– Ride in a Bicycle Lane When Possible: Some places in Chicago have marked lanes for bicycle-only traffic. If you are riding in such an area, utilize the bike lane to keep yourself separate from vehicular traffic and to prevent any unintentional contact between bikes and cars.
– Always Ride with Traffic: Never ride against traffic as it is against the law and also a dangerous way to increase accident risks.
When a driver or another cyclists ignores safety rules or fails to follow local traffic laws, a bicycle accident may happen in Chicago and may leave one or more people involved injured. Unfortunately, some collisions are so extreme that bicyclists lose their lives as a result. When a bike accident affects your life or harms your family member, the laws in Illinois may entitle you to seek financial compensation for your losses and your sufferings, including the medical bills you incurred.
The personal injury attorneys at Abels & Annes, P.C. work hard to fight for the rights of injured bicyclists and if you have been hurt in a crash, we want to fight for you as well. We offer a free case consultation without obligation to those who call us toll free at (855) 529-2442 or locally at (312) 924-7575 and we always have a licensed lawyer standing by, regardless of the day or time.
If you have been hurt or if you have questions about your accident, do not wonder without getting the answers you deserve. Call Abels & Annes, P.C. now and let us help you understand your legal rights and your legal options following your collision.
Prior Blog Entry:
Abels & Annes, P.C. Representing Infant Scalding Victim, Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog, published April 30, 2015.
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