Friday, June 28, 2013

North Aurora Bicyclist Killed in Rear End Bike Crash

Another Chicagoland bicyclist has passed away after being struck by a motor vehicle. On the afternoon of June 27, 2013, Richard White, a 50 year old North Aurora resident, was riding his bicycle on Nelson Lake Road near the Dick Young Forest Preserve in Batavia when his bicycle was struck from behind by a 2009 Nissan Rogue driven by a 26-year old Evanston resident. According to news reports, a preliminary investigation revealed that a number of cars traveling in the same direction as Mr. White's bicycle had appropriately moved over to drive around him, but the driver of the Nissan failed to do the same and instead struck the rear tire of Mr. White's bicycle. Upon impact, Mr. White was thrown from his bicycle and fatally injured.
All motorists have a duty to not only reduce speed to avoid a collision, but also to keep a proper lookout. The fact that other vehicles were able to give Mr. White space demonstrates that any other driver should have been able to do the same. In Illinois, motor vehicles are required to give three feet of space at a minimum when passing a bicyclist.
Paramedics arrived on the scene and transported Mr. White to Mercy Center Hospital in Aurora, Illinois where he was pronounced dead. The driver involved in the crash was ticketed for failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident. According to the Kane County Sheriff's office, the collision remains under investigation and it is not yet clear whether texting, drugs, or alcohol may have been contributing factors.
Unfortunately, Mr. White is the latest victim in a number of fatal bicycle crashes that have occurred in recent months in the Chicagoland area. With bicycling season in full swing, the Illinois Bicycle Attorneys of Keating Law Offices plead with motorists to share the road and drive with a heightened sense of awareness for bicyclists. Too many lives have been tragically lost in preventable collisions such as this.
We extend our deepest sympathies to Mr. White's family and friends.