The "Dutch Reach" Becomes Part of Illinois Bicycle Laws

Illinois Department of Transportation data shows dooring crashes on the rise across the state. In 2015 alone there were more than 300 doorings reported. This number, which only represents those doorings that made it onto a police report, nonetheless represented a 50% increase from 2014. 

As part of an effort to fight the plague of doorings, the Illinois Secretary of State will now be required to include the "Dutch Reach" as a part of the Rules of the Road for Illinois motorists. The "Dutch Reach" is where a motorist opens the car door across their body with their right hand. This movement forces the the driver to turn their body and check over their left shoulder towards oncoming traffic. The goal of the "Dutch Reach" is to teach motorists to always check for bicyclists prior to opening their vehicle door into traffic and to prevent doorings. Keating Law Offices attorney Mike Keating was recently profiled in a CBS 2 Chicago story on the Dutch Reach.

Doorings Are Illegal

Section 11-1407 of the Illinois Vehicle Code and Section 9-80-035 of Municipal Code of Chicago prohibit opening a car door into traffic. Here's the Illinois dooring law:  

"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."

Bicyclists Have Equal Right to Illinois Roads

As clarified in the 2017 Illinois bike law known as "Dennis' Law," a bicycle is a vehicle under Illinois law and any reference to a "vehicle" or "traffic" includes a bicyclist. The trend of dooring has gotten worse. According to the available data from the Illinois Department of Transportation, doorings area plague to Chicago cyclists in particular. In 2015 there were 302 cases of doorings. There were 203 in 2014, 270 in 2013, 334 reported in 2012 and 336 in 2011, the first full year IDOT collected data on the number of doorings.

Teaching the "Dutch Reach" is an important step in making watching for bicycles at all times a common practice for all motorists. Just as every motorist is taught to "check their blind spot" when changing lanes, every motorist will be taught to look for bikes when exiting their vehicle. Each time, every time. And with that, we hope to see the number of doorings in Illinois decrease. 

New Illinois Traffic Law to Fight Distracted Driving Epidemic and Protect Bicyclists

Bicyclists are often referred to as "vulnerable users" of the roadways. Even the most experienced bicyclist on the most advanced bicycle is at a disadvantage if there is a crash with even the smallest motor vehicle driven by a non-attentive motorist. Sheer physics are blind and unfortunately do not take into account fairness when a collision occurs and what might be a fender bender on a car can lead to serious or even fatal injuries to the bicyclist. Bicyclists are even more vulnerable in Illinois due to the state's sheer number of citizens and its densely populated urban centers including the metropolis of Chicago. A new 2019 law is designed to combat distracted driving and help reduce crashes and protect bicyclists. 

New Illinois Law To Fight Distracted Driving

The original law in Illinois to fight distracted driving was tragically borne by the death of a downstate bicyclist who was struck and killed by a driver downloading a ringtone on her cellphone. According to the current law in Illinois, distracted driving only get a warning and zero fine the first time they are caught using their phone behind the wheel. 

Starting on July 1, 2019, Illinois drivers that pay more attention to their phones will face stiffer penalties for distracted driving. Any driver caught using a phone while driving (other than talking on the phone with a hands-free connection) will face a fine of $75 for a first offense, $100 for a second ticket, $125 for a third ticket and $150 for a fourth or subsequent ticket for distracted driving. 

Studies Confirm Threat of Distracted Driving

The American Automobile Association's (AAA) Foundation for Traffic Safety recently published a study regarding distracted driving. The study found that 88% of all drivers believe that distracted driving is a serious problem. Most alarming, the study from the AAA Foundation shows drivers talking on a cellphone are up to four times as likely to crash while those who text are up to eight times as likely to be involved in a crash. Data from the AAA study also showed: 

• The proportion of drivers who report talking on a cell phone regularly or fairly often when behind the wheel increased 46% in the last five years. 
• Nearly half (49%) of drivers report recently talking on a hand-held phone while driving.
• Nearly 35% of drivers have sent a text or email while driving. 
• Approximately 58% of drivers say talking on a cellphone behind the wheel is a very serious threat to their personal safety, while 78 percent believe that texting is a significant danger. 

Chicago, Illinois Bicycle Attorneys

Keating Law Offices' trial attorney Mike Keating has been a tireless advocate for cyclists' rights in Illinois. Mike is the author of "Dennis' Law" and worked with the Jurs family and legislators to pass the landmark law that solidified bicyclist's rights in Illinois. Mike also serves as a Chair of the Legislative Committee for the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association where he is a also a member of the Board of Governors. Nationally he is the Chair of the Bicycle Litigation Committee for the American Association for Justice, the nation's largest trial attorney organization fighting for the rights of the injured.