Mar 28, 2008

Chicago Seeks Safety for Bicyclists

Yes, sometimes, when you are driving, people on bicycles can be a big pain. But that doesn’t mean we should kill them. Now a proposed City of Chicago ordinance that would impose strict fines on motorists whose actions endanger bicyclists has won support from AAA Chicago, among other organizations. The suggested ordinance would prohibit actions such as turning left or right in front of a bicyclist, passing a bicyclist with less than three feet of space, parking in a bike lane and opening a vehicle door into the path of a bicyclist.

“This proposed ordinance clearly defines the rules and responsibilities and will increase the safety of everyone who shares the roadways in Chicago,” said Beth Mosher, spokesperson for AAA Chicago. “Chicago has become a terrific multimodal city, and now pedestrians, bicyclists and motorists alike need to do a better job of sharing the roads safely.”

According to the Illinois Department of Transportation, 24 bicyclists were killed and nearly 3,200 were injured due to a crash with a motor vehicle in the state during 2006. The majority of these crashes happened in urban areas.

“This ordinance underscores rules that motorists should already be following for the sake of their fellow travelers,” said Mosher.