WGN News is reporting that a teenage bicyclist was critically injured when the driver of an SUV struck the bicyclist while he was riding in a crosswalk in the Kane County suburb of Batavia. The collision occurred near South Batavia Avenue and Union Avenue which is just west of the Fox River and the Fox River trail which is a popular trail for Chicagoland bicyclists.
The collision occurred on Wednesday at approximately 2:30 p.m. and apparently occurred while the bicyclist was in a crosswalk. Illinois law is very clear regarding the protections provided to bicyclists crossing in crosswalks. Multiple provisions of the Illinois Vehicle Code require motorists to yield to bicyclists within crosswalks.
Section 5/11-1002(e) of the Illinois Vehicle Code states in part: “Whenever stop signs or flashing red signals are in place at an intersection or at a plainly marked crosswalk between intersections, drivers shall yield right-of-way to pedestrians as set forth in Section 11-904 of this Chapter.” The referenced Section 11-904(b) requires drivers approaching a stop sign to come to a complete stop before entering a crosswalk at an intersection and to yield to the right-of-way of any vehicle that has entered the intersection.
Anyone with information is asked to call area detectives at 630-454-2500. The crash remains under investigation by police and the Kane County Accident Reconstruction Team.
Keating Law focuses its practice on the representation of injured bicyclists. The firm has helped many clients in Kane County and is very familiar with the Fox River Valley. The firm can be reached at 312-239-6787 anytime around the clock. The firm may also be reached at Info@KeatingLegal.com or via online chat at www.KeatingLegal.com.