Exercise Caution Near These Dangerous Bike Routes in Chicago

It’s great that more and more people are taking up cycling in Chicago. But sadly, many bike accidents happen in Chicago every year. In fact, some bike routes are known to be much more dangerous than others. 

So, if you cycle in Chicago, you should know about the routes that are potentially the riskiest so that you can exercise extra caution when riding along them. 

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What should you do if you’re injured in a cycling accident in Chicago?

Don’t underestimate just how problematic accidents involving bicycles are in Chicago. The city is the second most dangerous city in the U.S. for cyclists. Only New York is worse. 

While you can reduce your risk of being involved in an accident by always following safe riding practices, there’s always the chance you could be involved in an accident. 

If that should happen, you should seek medical attention, even if you don’t appear to be badly injured. It’s possible you could have unnoticeable injuries like a concussion or internal bleeding. 

If you are able to do so, you should get the details of the parties involved in the accident and any witnesses. You should take photographs of the accident scene, too. 

And if the accident is not your fault, you may be entitled to financial compensation to cover things like medical costs for injuries. So, consult an experienced lawyer about your bike accident case.

Which Chicago bike routes are the most dangerous?

According to multiple sources, the most dangerous route for cyclists to ride in Chicago is Milwaukee Avenue. The most dangerous spot is between Division Street and North Avenue. 

The other most dangerous routes for cyclists in Chicago are:

• Milwaukee and Fullerton Intersection.
• Halsted and Fullerton Intersection.
• Elston and Fullerton Intersection.
• Halsted and Chicago Intersection.
• Clark Street.
• Lincoln Avenue.

Many cycling accidents happen in Chicago and other cities due to cyclists riding in areas where drivers often open their doors without looking. 

Areas in which drivers open their vehicle doors and hit cyclists are known as dooring zones. 

In Chicago, the dooring zones where most accidents happen are:

• Damen Avenue.
• Chicago Avenue.
• Division Street.
• Lincoln Avenue.
• Kedzie Avenue.

Which Chicago bike lanes have the highest collision rates?

By looking at data from the City of Chicago, we can see which bike routes in the city have seen the most crashes involving cyclists since the start of 2020. 

They are as follows:

• Fifty crashes have occurred on Milwaukee Avenue.
• Forty-three crashes have occurred on Halsted Street.
• Twenty-nine crashes have occurred on Damen Avenue. 
• Twenty-four crashes have occurred on Clark Street.
• Eighteen crashes have occurred on Wells Street.

Chicago’s Most Dangerous Bike Route

As we now know, Milwaukee Avenue is undoubtedly the most dangerous bike route in Chicago. 

The fact that it is the busiest cycling route, with almost 3,000 cyclists using the route in September 2022 alone, is sure to have something to do with the fact that it’s the most dangerous route for cyclists. But there are other factors at play. 

The Milwaukee Avenue bike lane was built for safety, but out of the fifty crashes that have happened on the route since 2020, three have been fatal. 

City officials and policymakers blame the city’s confusing patchwork approach to creating protected bike lanes. 

Officials are on record as saying the planning and installation of Chicago’s cycling safety infrastructure are often dependent upon the vagaries of City Hall and the veto power of just fifty aldermen and, in turn, it is that which has led to poor decisions. 

Indeed, the process is currently under review by Chicago’s inspector general. 

The managing director of the nonprofit group Active Transportation Alliance has said that “…there’s no consistency in terms of the process of planning, design, and construction” for cycling routes in Chicago and that that needs to change in order to make cycling routes like Milwaukee Avenue safer. 

Perhaps the biggest problem with Chicago’s cycling networks is that, while a small number of roads have protected bike lanes that are separated from motor vehicle traffic by using concrete barriers, most bike lanes in Chicago are separated with just paint or flexible plastic bollards. 

Chicago Cycling Safety Tips

While you should pay extra attention when riding the Milwaukee Avenue bike route and the other most dangerous bike routes in Chicago, you should of course always practice safe cycling. 

You should also learn safety tips for cycling in cities, as cities are notorious for having more hazards that put cyclists at risk compared to other places. 

Here are just a few ways in which you can stay safe when city cycling.

Avoid Getting Doored

Getting doored is a far too common occurrence. In addition to keeping a good distance between yourself and parked vehicles, watch for movements inside the parked vehicles that could suggest someone is about to open a door without looking first.

Make Sure Drivers Can See You

When cycling on roads, you need to remember this simple thing: if you can’t see drivers’ mirrors, they can’t see you. In turn, that increases the risk of an accident occurring.

Try to Always Have a Clear Exit

It’s always best to try to not ride into a situation in which you don’t have a clear exit. For instance, don’t get into a situation where you approach a red light and find yourself between rows of stationary or slow-moving vehicles.

Keep a Good Distance Between Yourself and the Vehicle Ahead

Remember that other road users’ stopping distance will be better than yours. So, always keep a good distance between yourself and the vehicle ahead.

Don’t Undertake Large Vehicles

Many cycling accidents on city roads involve large vehicles like trucks and buses. You should never be tempted to undertake large vehicles because huge blind spots can mean drivers are unaware of cyclists.

Treat Cycle Lanes Like Roads

Lastly, we have already seen how bike lanes can be dangerous, so don’t ever ride without caution in a bike lane. You should treat riding in a bike lane exactly the same as you would riding on the road. 

A bike lane is not an island of safety, even though Chicago officials are currently in the process of trying to make them safer. 

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