Lawsuit Filed Against CTA, Bus Driver For Causing Crash With Chicago Bicyclist

A lawsuit recently filed against the Chicago Transit Authority alleges that one of its bus drivers ran a red light at the intersection of West Lawrence Avenue and West Central Avenue and struck a woman on a bicycle. Our law firm filed the suit on the cyclist's behalf on February 18th.

The crash occurred at around 1:30 p.m. on October 5, 2013.  The 22 year old woman was attempting a left turn from Central onto Lawrence when the northbound bus struck her.  The heavy impact caused her head to strike and break the bus windshield.  She was taken from the scene via ambulance to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center.  There she was kept overnight and treated for injuries to her head and pelvis.

An off duty Chicago police officer happened to witness the incident.  He said that the southbound cyclist was stopped in the intersection waiting for northbound traffic to clear so she could make a left turn.  The Illinois Vehicle Code permits bicyclists to execute left turns in this way, just like a motor vehicle driver.  The light controlling northbound traffic turned red, and the bicyclist began her turn.  As she turned, the bus driver ran the light and crashed into the cyclist's right side.  A video taken from inside the bus demonstrates that the bus did not stop as it came into the intersection.  The off duty officer, who had been stopped at the traffic light facing west on Lawrence, stopped the bus driver who seemed, he said, that she was prepared to leave the scene.  He also came to the aid of the injured cyclist.  The driver was ticketed by police at the scene for failing to obey a traffic control device.

Video Shows Buses and Bicycles How To Share The Road

Below is an excellent video created via a partnership between the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) and the Chicago Department of Transportation about buses and bicyclists sharing the road. The video was made for bus operators and bicyclists to highlight safety issues and offer practical guidance on how to avoid accidents. Along with the recently created bicycling video created by the Chicago Police Department, the CTA video should be required viewing for all city motorists and bicyclists. It is also important viewing for attorneys representing bicyclists in as much as it evidences what the CTA considers the standard of care to be for its bus operators when dealing with cyclists on the roadway.

Share the Road - Buses and Bicycles from Chicago Bicycle Program on Vimeo.

CTA Bus Strikes and Critically Injures Chicago Bicyclist

A Chicago bicyclist was struck by a CTA bus yesterday during evening rush hour. The website, www.chicagobreakingnews.com, reported that, "The man was struck by a westbound No. 76 Diversey bus at the intersection of Lincoln and Diversey avenues." The website stated that though Chicago Fire Department officials said the bicyclist was taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center in "serious-to-critical condition," a CTA spokesperson described his injuries as "minor." Sun-Times Media also reported the story online.