Who is Responsible for a Rideshare Collision?  Uber and Lyft are some of the more common rideshare companies that we come across daily, especially here in Chicago. Whether you are an Uber or Lyft driver or passenger or find yourself sharing the road with an Uber or Lyft vehicle, as another driver, bicyclist or pedestrian, it is important to understand how their services can impact liability in an accident with them. Uber and Lyft Have Insurance Illinois requires all drivers to operate a vehicle with a valid policy of insurance. Illinois also mandates that all rideshare ..read more

WGN News is reporting that a teenage bicyclist was critically injured when the driver of an SUV struck the bicyclist while he was riding in a crosswalk in the Kane County suburb of Batavia. The collision occurred near South Batavia Avenue and Union Avenue which is just west of the Fox River and the Fox River trail which is a popular trail for Chicagoland bicyclists. The collision occurred on Wednesday at approximately 2:30 p.m. and apparently occurred while the bicyclist was in a crosswalk. Illinois law is very clear regarding the protections provided to bicyclists crossing in crosswal ..read more

Chicago's City Council passed legislation that will increase the penalty for parking in the bike lane and provide a platform for more enforcement of drivers blocking the city's bike lanes.  These recent changes to the Chicago Municipal Code provide that a driver can be fined $250 for stopping or parking in the bike lane. While the Code previously provided for the $250 fine, the prior version required a bicyclist to have been injured as a result of the blocked bike lane. With the amendment anyone blocking the bike lane could face a fine.  In addition, the amendment provides fo ..read more

A Cook County Jury has awarded a Chicago cyclist nearly $213,000.00 for injuries she sustained when she was doored in Chicago's Loop. The crash itself coincidentally happened on the Washington Street bike lane - across the street from the Daley Center courthouse where the jury trial was held.  This monumental verdict and its importance as to the law protecting Chicago cyclists was the focus of a Block Club Chicago article by Chicago journalist Izzy Stoobandt.  In June of 2017 the cyclist was riding to her job as a chef at a local restaurant on Michigan Avenue. The route was fami ..read more

Last spring on a beautiful day a local bicyclist and her adult daughter went on a bicycle ride through Naperville. Their pleasant day was cut short when a motorist failed to notice them and turned immediately in front of the bicyclists. The daughter was able to avoid the driver but the other bicyclist slammed into the side of the motor vehicle and was thrown off of her bicycle. She landed hard and struck her head in the process.   The Naperville police issued a citation to the motorist for failing to yield the right of way to the bicyclists. The driver of the motor vehicle - who had a ..read more

A Chicago police officer tragically ran over and killed a 9-year old Chicago boy who was crossing the street on his bicycle. Chicago is in shock over one of the most tragic deaths of a Chicago bicyclist in the city's history. Beyond the massive tragedy, the death of 9-year old Hershel Weinberger in West Rogers Park stands out for many reasons: the young age of the victim, the vehicle involved and the status of the driver of the vehicle. According to an interview with the father of the boy, Shamai Weinberger, to the Chicago Tribune, young Hershel Weinberger was riding his bicycle home from ..read more

Multiple news agencies are reporting that Chicago cyclist and noted musician Kevin Clark was killed in a bicycle crash early Wednesday in Chicago's Avondale neighborhood. Kevin was riding eastbound on Logan Boulevard across Western Avenue when he was struck by a Hyundai Sonata travelling southbound on Western Avenue. Early reports indicate that the light for eastbound Logan Boulevard was red at the time of the crash and the driver was proceeding through the intersection on a green light.  However, news reports also indicate that the 20-year old driver was issued traffic tickets for un ..read more

Left Hook Crashes are prohibited by both the Chicago Municipal Code and the Illinois Vehicle Code. The prohibition against Right Hook Crashes is specific to the Chicago Municipal Code.  A 12-year-old Chicago cyclist was struck by a car on Chicago South Side in the South Chicago neighborhood. This is a sequence of events that unfortunately happens often on the densely populated streets of Chicago. Different news reports and the accounting from the Chicago Police Department illustrate how a few differences in the explanation of a crash can make a giant difference in understanding ..read more

A normal commute home via the Milwaukee Avenue bike lane by a local cyclist was cut short when he was the victim of a "left hook" collision. This stretch of Milwaukee Avenue is nicknamed the “Hipster Highway” because of the thousands of bicyclists that ride the bicycle lane in this stretch through Chicago’s popular West Town community on a daily basis. The Milwaukee Avenue bicycle lane is the most heavily travelled and well-known bicycle lane in Chicago. Despite the video evidence and many key Chicago bike laws directly on point, the combination of the cyclist's severe injuries combined wi ..read more

The Chicago Sun-Times is reporting that an Oak Park bicyclist by the name of Peter McDonnell tragically died as a result of injuries sustained in a bicycle vs. motor vehicle crash. According to the article, Mr. McDonnell tragically succumbed to the injuries sustained in the crash after days at Loyola University Medical Center.  The crash occurred on March 9th at the intersection of Division Street and North Harlem Avenue in west suburban River Forest. This intersection is right by Dominican University and is regularly travelled by cyclists. Images of the area show that right on Divisio ..read more