Spring Safety on the Roads

Depending on where you live, it might feel like early spring.  Or winter.  Or you might be experiencing flooding, or wind storms.  In other words, the seasons are a lot less predictable than they used to be, to say the least.

But at some point, all of us are going to throw off the chains of winter, get outside more, and…probably face the risk of injury.

Why will injuries follow along with warmer weather?  What can you do to minimize your risks?  Read further and find out.

Bikes, Automobiles, Scooters

My reputation as the crabby older guy yelling “get off my lawn” is well-earned.  I’m not nearly as bad as you might think, but I will say that nothing makes me angrier than when I ride my bike, walk my dog, or drive my car and people around me drive motor vehicles weighing two tons or more like they don’t care about killing others.

Because that happens all the time.  I regularly see folks fly through stop signs orstop lights, turn directly in front of moving vehicles, and basically disregard the basic lessons they allegedly learned in Driver’s Education.

This careless behavior probably stems partially from a change in how people interact with each other, the effect of vehicles intertwined with technology, and the aftereffects of the Covid-19 pandemic, when fewer people were on the road, and those who did got used to driving  faster and more recklessly.

How Can You Protect Yourself?

For starters, before we even get to the others on the road, let’s worry about you first.  If you are not a regular bike rider, scooter rider, or motorcycle rider, or you’ve just taken many months off due to the weather, please spend the money to get your vehicle tuned up and looked over by a professional.

With bicycles, get the tires checked.  Tires that spent the long, cold winter uninflated might wind up with cracked rubber.  Get everything looked at—brakes, chain, etc.  I see people riding bikes with rusty chains and all I think about is putting pressure on the pedals and having the chain snap, catapulting them to the ground in a hurry. Don’t think this can happen?  As someone who has broken chains, cassettes, and even destroyed handlebars (aluminum) with my sweat, I can tell you firsthand that mechanical failure of your bike can cause you serious physical harm and pain.

Obviously, the same goes for electric scooters, motorcycles, and other vehicles.  If it’s been stored for months, it needs a professional clean-up and inspection.  Or do you really want your electric scooter or motorcycle battery to fail when it’s 40 degrees and raining?

As to the others driving (distractedly) on the road, follow this simple premise.  Assume other drivers are not paying attention to you, not looking for bicycles, scooters, or motorcycles, and pedestrians. There’s an excellent chance your assumption will be correct.

Motorists often can be found excitedly texting, watching videos, or practicing with the self-driving option increasingly available on their cars and trucks. 

So ride and walk defensively.  Anticipate bad behavior.  Assume you are not seen.  Make sure you are seen by utilizing flashing taillights, wearing reflective colors, and using hand motions. 

Bike Lanes—Friend or Foe?

I am the first to admit I am in the minority of bicycle riders in being against dedicated bike lanes

In fact, I’ve had more bike-car crashes in these dedicated lanes than on “regular” roads.

Face the fact that most drivers in this country are not accustomed to the protocols of dedicated bike lanes.  They either don’t know what to do or they choose to not care.

And there are a lot of adults who grew up long before dedicated bike lanes were a thing, so they have had literally zero training or instruction about this.

I know I never did. 

How many people are aware of the “Dutch Reach” law in Illinois that requires drivers and passengers in a vehicle to open doors with the hand opposite to that door (driver’s side door with your right hand; passenger side door with your left)?

Crickets, right?  Never heard of it?  You are in the majority, despite me blogging about this many times.

When you ride, walk, scoot, or whatever, assume most others have no idea what they’re supposed to do either.  Because they probably don’t.

Let’s stay safe out there as spring drives everyone outdoors.  But, if something does happen, give me a call.

Takeaways

Contact Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Stephen Hoffman

If you have been injured, whether by an auto accident, bike or pedestrian crash, dog bite, work accident, or medical malpractice, seek medical attention immediately. Report accidents to the police and your own insurance company, or to your employer if you were injured at work. Then contact a lawyer with experience in your type of injury matter.

If you have been in an accident and have questions, contact Chicago personal injury attorney Stephen L. Hoffman for a free consultation at (773) 944-9737. Stephen has over 35 years of legal experience and gets results; he has collected millions of dollars for his satisfied clients. He is listed as a SuperLawyer, has a 10.0 rating on Avvo, and is BBB A+ accredited. Stephen is also an Executive Level Member of the Lincoln Square Ravenswood Chamber of Commerce. 

Stephen handles injury cases on a contingency fee basis, which means you pay nothing up front, and Stephen only gets paid if you do. You have only a limited time to file a claim, so don’t wait another day; contact Stephen now to get started putting your life back together.