The Law Offices of James M. Freeman, P.C.

Jim Freeman / Call to Action / July 25 from Moving Design on Vimeo.

Strategies for Getting Around Without Bike Lights (or Pants) from BICYCLE TRANSPORTATION ALLIANCE on Vimeo.

White headlight is required under Illinois and Chicago Law.

In early November The Law Offices of James M. Freeman, P.C. offered to match donations to fund a headlight giveaway in conjunction with the Active Transportation Alliance and Groupon.  The response was overwhelming.  We raised over $5,000, more than any of us expected. 

A white headlight and red rear reflector are required under Chicago and Illinois law.  Bicyclists are practically invisible at night without proper lighting equipment.  This video from the Chicago Department of Transportation really illustrates that point.

Last night Mayor Daley's Bicycling Ambassadors and CPD officers from the 14th district, gave away headlights to cyclists in an effort to educate them about the law with respect to lights and reflectors.  Under Illinois and Chicago law a white headlight and red rear reflector (or red taillight) are required when riding a bicycle at night.  Lucky cyclists that happened to be traveling through the intersection of Milwaukee and Logan were given a headlight and to

Most Chicago cyclists know that a white headlight and red rear reflector are required under Illinois State Law and the Chicago Municipal Ordinance. While Illinois State law does not specifically require a red rear light, many municipalities do require red taillights. Municipalities can require bicyclists to use equipment in addition to that which is required under Illinois Law, so if you are caught in such a municipality without required equipment you may be cited for a violation of the municipal code.

Insurance adjusters are typically not experienced in dealing with bicycle accidents. Sometimes they are provided with a list of questions to address when evaluating bicycle claims, but they don't typically seem to be familiar with laws that apply to cyclists in Illinois. One of the questions insurance adjusters always ask me about my bicycle cases is, "Was he/she wearing a helmet?"

Active Transportation Alliance and Law Offices of James Freeman will be equipping cyclists with headlights and red reflectors tonight in effort to educate cyclists about proper lighting and reflective equipment.

See the Tribune's coverage here.

Almost one-third of my bicycle cases involve the "left cross." For some reason these are more common than the "right hook." I suspect it has to do with visibility issues and motorists' mistaken belief swith respect to bicyclists 'rights on the road.

In my experience about 30% of crashes in Chicago are doorings. Doorings are discouraging because they are completely avoidable. It never ceases to amaze me how people will just fling open the doors of their cars without any consideration for approaching traffic. Doorings violate both Illinois and Chicago law. Typically driver side dooring cases are hard to defend unless the dooring happened at night and the cyclist didn't have a headlight.