Keating Law Offices Presents The Bike To Work Challenge

Keating Law Offices is proud to have been the presenting sponsor for Chicago's Bike To Work Challenge. The challenge took place between June 15th and June 29th and including teams that included hundreds of cyclists from companies throughout Chicago. Whether the companies were large or small, each rider played a part in racking up points based on the number of times they rode their bike to work and the number of miles bicycling.

Chicago Bicycle Attorney Mike Keating

Keating Law Offices attorney Mike Keating said, 

"We are very honored to support the Bike To Work Challenge. I'm a regular bicycle commuter and many of our clients commute by bike. By supporting the Bike To Work Challenge we help reinforce the important role bicycling plays in Chicago's transportation scheme. Commuting by bike is healthier for the bicyclist, reduces congestion on city streets, and makes the city more accessible. All of this helps us fight for the rights of cyclists in Chicago."

Keating Law Offices - West Town Location

825 North Milwaukee Avenue

The firm also hosted a "Pit Stop" at its West Town location on the Milwaukee Avenue Bike Lane. The Milwaukee Avenue location is the firm's second location. Keating Law Offices also has Loop offices at 111 West Washington Avenue on the Washington protected bike lane and across the street from City Hall and the courthouse at the Daley Center.

The West Town location provides a local presence on Chicago's most heavily trafficked bicycle lane to better serve the firm's clients and the Chicago bicycle community. The goal of the West Town location is also to reinforce the firm's absolute commitment to Chicago's bicycle community. The West Town location is located at 825 North Milwaukee Avenue near the intersection of Milwaukee and Chicago and is steps from the Elston bike lane.

Fighting for Chicago Cyclists

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. Keating Law Offices has represented hundreds of clients who were injured in bicycle accidents as well as their families. In the process the firm has also fought for the rights of bicyclists in Chicago and throughout Illinois.

Contact Keating Law Offices 24/7

The firm is always immediately accessible to its clients and anyone interested in discussing a legal matter. There are live operators available for live chat or text, and phone operators available 24/7. You can reach the firm directly at 312-239-6787 or via email at Info@KeatingLegal.com.

How Safe Is Your Helmet? New Study Gives Safety Rankings of Helmets

"Wear your helmet" is solid advice. But not as much thought is given to the differences between various helmets. The general belief is that as long as you are wearing a helmet, any helmet, your head will receive some protection in case of a fall or a crash. As death and injury rates for bicyclists grow, researchers at Virginia Tech University and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety decided it was time to analyze which helmets reduce the risk of injuries for bicyclists.

Virginia Tech performed this study which focused on helmet impact tests to evaluate a helmet's ability to reduce linear acceleration and rotational velocity of the head resulting from a range of impacts a cyclist might experience. The researchers spent months researching how cyclists were most likely to hit their heads in crashes and used that information to replicate a dozen scenarios to replicate those hits. What they found may surprise you.

Urban-style helmets (Bern, etc.) are often purchased for their sleek design and with the thought that since the helmet covers more of your head, it must give you more protection. That thought process follows the conventional wisdom that "more is better," but this study proved it wrong. This style of helmet didn’t perform as well due to the fact that they have a thinner layer of the foam that compresses upon impact. This means that although there is more area of the head covered, the impact can still cause a significant head injury because there is less cushioning even though there is more surface area to the helmet.

One of the key findings is that a relatively new technology known as Multi-Directional Impact Protection System (MIPS) can lessen the risk of concussion. Helmets that have MIPS have an inner layer that lessens the forces that cause trauma. Of the 30 helmets tested so far, only 4 of them have been awarded Virginia Tech’s top five-star rating, all of which had the MIPS technology. Of those four helmets, the prices ranged from $200 down to $75, so protecting your noggin doesn’t mean you have to break open the piggy bank. 

The evidence is also clear that any helmet is better than no helmet. There are many steps cyclists can take to protect themselves, but making sure that they are riding with the safest helmet possible is one that easily in our control. 

Chicago Bicyclist Killed In Crash In West Town

A Chicago bicyclist was killed while riding his bike on North Ogden Avenue in Chicago's West Town neighborhood. The fatal crash occurred when the driver of a 2014 Lexus turned onto Ogden Avenue from Erie Street. This intersection is near the Ogden overpass over the Kennedy expressway where there is an on ramp for cars merging onto the northbound lanes of the expressway. This stretch of Ogden also connects the neighborhood along Grand Avenue with the River West neighborhood north of the expressway along Chicago Avenue. Due to this, many bicyclists frequently use Ogden Avenue to get over the expressway along this section of Ogden. 

No further details have been provided. The driver of the Lexus was issued a traffic ticket for failure to use due care while operating a motor vehicle. This is a general charge often used by the Chicago Police Department when the exact details are uncertain but there is evidence that the driver was not carefully operating the vehicle. The Chicago Municipal Code explicitly states that drivers must use "due care" to avoid colliding with a bicyclist. Under the law, "due care" means the "care that an ordinarily reasonable and prudent person would use under the same or similar circumstances."

Section 9-40-160 of the Municipal Code states as follows: 

"Every driver of a vehicle shall exercise due care to avoid colliding with any pedestrian, or any person operating a bicycle or other device propelled by human or animal power, upon any roadway, and shall give warning by sounding the horn when necessary and shall exercise proper precautions upon observing any child or any confused or incapacitated person upon a roadway." Amended Coun. J. 3-12-08, p. 22781, § 1

This is a sad and tragic loss. Our thoughts and prayers are with the bicyclist and his family and friends.