TRAFFIC SAFETY
Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety
Bicycle Safety
Bicycle riding is a great way to get into shape and enjoy the outdoors. To remain safe on Illinois roads, it is important to follow the same traffic safety laws that govern vehicle drivers.
No amount of bicycle safety equipment can adequately protect a rider from the dangerous force of a car or truck if involved in a vehicle collision. The best way to avoid injury is by being prepared for the dangers that streets pose to bicycle riders and by obeying the rules of the road.
Illinois in 2009:
- There were 20 bicyclists killed in traffic fatalities.
Nationally in 2009
- There were 630 bicyclists killed and 51,000 were injured.
- The average age of a bicyclist killed was 41.
- Individuals under age 16 accounted for 13% of all bicyclists killed and 20% of those injured in traffic crashes.
- 13% of the bicyclists killed in traffic crashes were between 5 and 15 years old.
- Alcohol was involved in 28%of the bicyclist fatalities.
- 70% of bicycle deaths occurred in urban areas, and 67% occurred at non-intersection locations.
- Bicyclists fatalities are more likely to occur between the hours of 4 p.m. and 8 p.m.
- The fatality rate per capita was seven times higher for males than for females and the injury rate per capita is more than four times higher for males.
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Pedestrian Safety
A driver must come to a complete stop (and yield):
- When a pedestrian is in a marked crosswalk.
- On school days, when children are in close proximity to a school zone crosswalk.
A driver must yield to a pedestrian:
- When a pedestrian is in an unmarked crosswalk on the driver's side of the roadway and there are no traffic control signals.
- When making a turn at any intersection.
- When making a lawful turn on a red light after coming to a complete stop.
- After coming to a complete stop at a stop sign or flashing red signal at an intersection.
- When a pedestrian enters a crosswalk before the traffic light changed.
- When a pedestrian is walking with a green light, to a walking person symbol or a walk signal.
- When a pedestrian is leaving or entering a street or highway from an alley, building, private road or driveway.
For more information, please see the Rules of the Road.
Illinois in 2009
- There were 111 pedestrian fatalities in Illinois.
Nationally in 2009
- 4,092 pedestrians were killed and 59,000 injured in traffic crashes.
- An average of one pedestrian is killed in a traffic crash every 2 hours and one is injured every 9 minutes.
- Alcohol was involved (either for the driver or the pedestrian) in 48% of the traffic crashes that resulted in pedestrian fatalities. Of the pedestrians involved, 35% were intoxicated with a BAC of .08 or greater.
- Children age 15 and younger accounted for 7% of the pedestrian fatalities and older persons (age 65+) accounted for 19%of all pedestrian fatalities.
- Nearly one half (48%) of all pedestrian fatalities occurred on Friday (16%), Saturday (17%) and Sunday (15%).
- Thirty-six percent (36%) of the 354 young (under age 16) pedestrian fatalities occurred in crashes between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m.