51 Year Old Chicago Bicyclist Struck By Young Driver Whose View May Have Been Obscured

A 51 year old man was struck by a car while riding his bicycle at the intersection of North Sacramento Avenue and West Lawrence Avenue in Chicago on May 7th.  The heavy collision left the cyclist with injuries to his right leg and head.

The collision occurred at around 7:20 p.m.  The bicyclist was riding his cruiser bicycle at a slow rate of speed south on Sacramento.  He entered the intersection with Lawrence as the light controlling southbound traffic was turning from green to yellow.  Before he made it completely through the intersection the light turned to red.  At the same time, in an attempt to perhaps get a jump on the light, a young driver in a 2011 Kia Optima passed another vehicle waiting at the light on eastbound Lawrence on the right.  Emerging from the right side of the other vehicle, he crashed into the cyclist.  A witness, stopped in his own vehicle on westbound Lawrence, said that the Kia was in the process of accelerating through the intersection when the crash took place.  Photographs taken at the scene of the vehicle involved revealed that the driver's seat was reclined nearly all the way back when the collision occurred.  Questions exist as to whether the driver's seat position made it difficult for him to see as he emerged into the intersection.

The cyclist remains in physical therapy treatment due to his injuries.

My law firm has been retained to represent the bicyclist.