Commercial Vehicles Are No Match for Bike Safety

All six bicyclists killed in Chicago this year had something in common: commercial vehicles. Still missing from the discussion: what to do about it.

1 minute read

September 29, 2016, 6:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Ghost Bike

Rory Finneren / Flickr

"A total of six bicyclists have been struck and killed by large commercial vehicles in Chicago this year," report Rosemary Regina Sobol and Mary Wisniewski "with a woman struck and killed on Monday and a man dying of his injuries over the weekend from an earlier train collision."

All six of the fatalities have happened since June, quickly bringing the year's total even with historic averages. Bike advocates say the fatalities are proof of the urgency for the city's Vision Zero goals. The city has promised to release a three-year Vision Zero plan this fall.

In addition to naming the victims of the fatal crashes, the article discusses two measures that can be taken to prevent so-called "right hook crashes," such as those that killed Virginia Murray on July 1. No specifics are mentioned regarding commercial vehicles, however, which are the common thread throughout these tragedies.

Personal injury attorney Brendan Kevenides at least is quote dint he article saying, "There's no reason a commercial truck driver or a car driver shouldn't be looking for a bicycle…"

Tuesday, September 27, 2016 in Chicago Tribune

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I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

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