Illinois Bicycle Law Pages

Friday, April 6, 2018

News Reports of Bike Crash Involving 14-Year Old Doored in Palmer Square

2600 West Armitage in Chicago, Illinois
News outlets, including the Chicago Tribune and the Chicago Sun-Times, are reporting that a 14-year old boy was seriously injured early this morning. The bicycle crash occurred in the 2600 block of West Armitage on the city's northwest side in the Palmer Square neighborhood. Given the time of the day and the age of the boy he was possibly riding his bicycle to school. The boy was taken via ambulance to Illinois Masonic Hospital for a reported head injury. Click here for the Chicago Tribune article. 

In an article published on Saturday, the Chicago Sun-Times provided more detail and that this was a "dooring" where a motorist opened their door directly into the path of the boy. The Chicago Municipal Code specifically prohibits "doorings." The Sun-Times reported that the driver was given a ticket related to this bike crash. 

The Chicago Municipal Code provides:

"No person shall open the door of a vehicle on the side available to moving traffic unless and until it is reasonably safe to do so, and can be done without interfering with the movement of other traffic, nor shall any person leave a door open on the side of a vehicle available to moving traffic for a period of time longer than necessary to load or unload passengers."

Keating Law Offices is the premiere personal injury law firm representing victims of bicycle accidents in Illinois. The firm is based in Chicago, Illinois and represents clients throughout Illinois. If you have any questions regarding this post or have a question regarding personal injury law, please contact Illinois Bicycle Attorney Mike Keating at 312-239-6787 (Office) or 312-208-7702 (Nights/Weekends). Our staff and operators are available around the clock. You can also email Mike@KeatingLegal.com 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. All e-mails and phone calls are returned promptly. All initial consultations are confidential and free.