Search Results for: bike helmets

When it comes to wearing bike helmets, there is no debate

June 16, 2016 by Jay Stefani Leave a Comment

Do they look great? No. Do they save lives. Yes

I’ll confess: my profession skews my view of the world. We don’t handle cases involving people who safely got from point A to point B. We don’t represent clients who went for an incident-free bike ride. We help people whose lives have been changed—for the worse—because someone else was careless or reckless. It’s that view that colored my reading of a recent article in the Chicago Reader.

“Promote helmets or prevent crashes? Some advocates say it’s time to shift,” by John Greenfield, looks at the debate amongst cycling advocates on whether promoting bike helmets deters cycling. Greenfield spoke with a number of biking supporters to discuss varying approaches to bike helmet usage. Some of those people believe that pushing others to wear helmets is having a depressing effect on potential riders—they either don’t like helmets or they feel they’re unnecessary. Others take the approach that helmets save lives and minimize injuries. Frankly, I think it’s a bit of a silly—and reckless—argument.

The folks against strict helmet usage allege that slow, urban cycling can be “quite safe” without a helmet. One opponent, a consultant from Denmark, argues helmets send a message that cycling is dangerous, and it can discourage others from taking part. Recent studies have concluded that there might not be as large of a difference in terms of the severity of head injuries—noting helmets might only reduce the risk of a head injury by 25-55 percent. If you were given a chance to reduce the risk of cancer by 25-55 percent, wouldn’t you gladly take it?

The problem—the naïve and dangerous problem—with this rationale is it assumes the cyclist is the sole person responsible for crashes. If you’re riding slowly and safely, you have little to worry about. By that logic, if you’re just driving in your neighborhood, why bother wearing a seatbelt? The harsh reality is you don’t have any control over what other drivers are doing. In a car, you’re at least enveloped by a highly engineered, crumple-zone, steel wrap. In a bike, it’s you—and hopefully your helmet.

I lived—and cycled—in Chicago for over a decade. Not once did I consider riding without a helmet. Even riding at a slow pace (5-10 mph), you’re constantly aware that someone in a parked car could open a door in the blink of an eye. Your options are to veer into traffic (which is coming from behind you) or hit the door. Wouldn’t you want to be wearing a helmet?

A bicyclist’s own speed has no bearing on a truck blowing a stop sign or a red light. No matter how safe a bike rider is, how alert he or she may be, it won’t prevent a random car quickly pulling out of an alley or driveway. The point of wearing a helmet—the same as wearing a seatbelt in the car—is you’re taking a simple precaution to protect against someone else’s carelessness.

Too many times I’ve seen the aftermath of a bike, car, or truck crash. Crashes—especially bike crashes—happen in an instant. The speed of the cyclist, the alertness of the rider, and the setting of the crash have little effect on the outcome. We don’t always have control over our surroundings, which is why we control what we can. Wearing a helmet is something we can control, and it may save your life.

Levinson and Stefani sponsors Bike Lids 4 Safe Kids during National Night Out

August 2, 2017 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

For the second consecutive year, Levinson and Stefani proudly sponsored Bike Lids 4 Safe Kids, a summer-long advocacy program hosted by PediaTrust and the Pediatric Associates of Barrington, designed to encourage safe bike riding among local kids. Once again, the firm donated helmets for last night’s raffle.

The premise for Bike Lids 4 Safe Kids is effective and fun. Every summer, the city of Cary and Fox River Grove enlists local police officers to patrol the streets looking for children riding bikes. If the kids are wearing helmets, the officers give them tokens for free items and treats at local businesses. The campaign culminates just prior to the upcoming school year as part of National Night Out, the community-building campaign that promotes police-community partnerships and camaraderie in neighborhoods across the country. Millions of people take part in National Night Out by hosting block parties, festivals, parades, cookouts and various other community events with safety demonstrations, seminars, youth events, visits from emergency personnel, and exhibits.

The firm has close ties to Bike Lids 4 Safe Kids. Jay’s wife, Maggie Stefani, a physician and member of the Pediatric Associates of Barrington, founded the program. Jay and Maggie were both on hand last night to dole out helmets and take part in activities. It’s a special event for Jay, an active bike rider and safety advocate. As part of his practice, Jay represents bike crash victims who have suffered severe injury in and around the Chicago area.

Helmets are just one of the many ways to prevent serious head injuries, yet many cyclists choose to ride without them. A 2016 study published by Australian statisticians Jake Olivier and Prudence Creighton from the University of New South Wales found that the use of helmets by cyclist from around the world reduced significant head injuries by nearly 70 percent. The state of Illinois does not currently enforce a helmet law.

Are helmets a false sense of security?

July 20, 2017 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

While the public continues to scrutinize the world of football for its high concussion rates, one thing’s clear: the development of safer equipment is finally catching up to the modern era. But these new developments often neglect that helmets aren’t foolproof; no matter how much impact a helmet might absorb, the fact remains that helmets are mostly a false sense of security.

Now let’s take a closer look at cyclists. The perception that cycling is safe as long as you wear a helmet is a scenario similar to that of football players, perpetuating a false sense of security and ignoring the need to learn safe-riding skills; you wouldn’t give a driver’s license to a teenager simply because they know how to use a seat belt, so why should it be different for those riding bikes?

Controversy swirls around the debate over whether helmets actually benefit cyclists in the long run. In the 1990s when helmet usage began to increase in the U.S., the Consumer Product Safety Commission found that head injuries among cyclists increased by 51 percent, despite the fact that the total number of riders decreased. While it’s not clear what caused the spike, the statistics underline the idea that helmets, while beneficial, are not foolproof or even effective. More important is the need for cyclists to understand and put to practice the techniques of defensive riding.

As more people study the types of problems associated with helmet use, football seems to have found a way to address the issue by changing how the game is played. It’s notable that football coaches are beginning to take a page from the book of rugby and force their players to tackle opponents without making head contact, as if they had no helmets at all. Many speculate that it would change the game for the better, eliminating or at the very least minimizing severe head injuries by discouraging helmet-to-helmet contact.

The same type of techniques should theoretically apply to cyclists by prioritizing safe-riding skills instead of creating a dependency on helmets alone. The state legislature continues to pass bike helmet laws that, ironically, draw attention away from the need to teach safe-riding skills. If we’re serious about making the roads better, it starts with better education.

Nonprofit launches petition for dedicated bike lane on Milwaukee Avenue

June 26, 2017 by Jay Stefani Leave a Comment

Milwaukee Ave. needs a change

The Active Transportation Alliance has launched an online petition to encourage city officials to consider “low cost, near term improvements” on Milwaukee Avenue, including a dedicated bike lane, according to the Tribune.

“Bold actions are needed to immediately improve the safety of Milwaukee Avenue and begin the street’s long overdue transition to a walking, biking, and transit oriented corridor,” reads the petition.

“This public process is a unique opportunity to advance a shared vision for truly transforming one of Chicago’s most iconic streets and one of the busiest streets for biking in the whole country. We are heartened by many of the exciting ideas already floated by local leaders and city officials, including reducing vehicle speeds and closing off unnecessary slip lanes.”

Among the proposals included in the petition are:

New bikeways that eliminate risk of doorings and other common crashes
Vehicle speeds of 20 mph or lower
Easy and accessible access to transit
More space for people walking and biking at intersections, including closed slip lanes, curb bump outs, and bike boxes

A few weeks ago, we made a few speculations about what the city might do with regard to the reconfiguration of North/Milwaukee/Damen. As it relates to Milwaukee Ave., the Active Transportation Alliance seems bent on forcing the issue by soliciting public support to make it more likely that one of Wicker Park’s busiest intersections and roads is made safer.

As we’ve said, a dedicated bike lane on Milwaukee Avenue would significantly improve the safety and security of cyclists who ride in the neighborhood. On one recent trip to Wicker Park, I noticed a throng of traffic that posed severe risks to two Divvy riders, who had just ventured into the left-turn lane of North/Milwaukee/Damen. No one seemed to care that they were not wearing helmets and that they were vulnerable because of a lack of adequate lanes directing cyclists to safer areas. Worse, the cyclists seemed to assume that drivers would accommodate them by virtue of the fact that they were on bikes.

It doesn’t stop there. Once the couple turned on Milwaukee, they were nearly clipped by a parked car that had opened its passenger door from the driver’s side, all while cars behind them dodged between lanes.

The problem here is two-fold: Cyclists need a designated bike lane on Milwaukee Ave, but the city needs to find a way to account for traffic that is consistent and unrelenting. One proposal from the neighborhood meeting I mentioned above suggested eliminating parking on one side if Milwaukee Ave., opening the possibility for cyclists to ride on safer, wider streets, though it’ll cost the city parking in a premium shopping and dining district. There’s a compromise somewhere, but based on the petition from Active Transportation Alliance, it seems people are tired of waiting.

Click here to read the petition and voice your support.

Remember these safety tips during National Bike Month

May 8, 2017 by Ken Levinson Leave a Comment

We outline a small refresher for cyclists and drivers

With National Bike Month officially underway and warm weather on the horizon, we’re dusting off our seats, tuning our wheels, and getting ready to enjoy the best of what cycling offers: an unmitigated sense of freedom. But it also means that we (along with other cyclists) are taking precautionary measures to remind ourselves of the dangers amongst us and how to combat them. We’ve outlined a few best-practices for both cyclists and drivers.

For Cyclists: Bike lanes are your friends

The city of Chicago has at least one proponent of safe cycling in Mayor Rahm Emanuel. Since Emanuel took office, the city has added an additional 200 miles of protected bike lanes in and around Chicago, which has consequently improved people’s driving habits. In 2011 for example, the city completed the construction of the Kinzie Street Protected Bike Lane. A survey found that 49 percent of respondents felt that driving habits had improved since then. That’s the good news. The bad news: Bike lanes, while exponentially beneficial, are not a failsafe. Some drivers overlook them, which can lead to problems like “dooring” and illegal parking. The bottom line: Remain on high alert.

For Cyclists: Check for flats

It might seem obvious, but you’d be surprised how many cyclists forgo the necessary tune-up to get back on the road as quickly as possible. Despite having sat in a garage for the better part of four months, bikes and their tires deteriorate at a slow but steady rate. Jump-starting your ride is akin to running a marathon without having trained in the first place, meaning your legs are bound to give out in a hurry. Tires are no different. The best option: Take your bike for for a pre-spring tune-up at your local bike shop, where rates are as low as $20.

For Cyclists: Wear your helmet

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention noted that less than half of cyclists wear bike helmets while riding, putting their chances of survival in the event of a crash at a measly percentage. The CDCP also pointed out that kids are particularly averse to wearing helmets for fear of being teased, and amazingly, a 2011 poll by the BMJ found that 68 percent of its readers opposed mandatory helmet laws.

But teasing or not, fashionable or unfashionable, skeptical or not, helmets are indisputably a last line of defense that can’t be ignored. Some studies try to promote the idea that helmets are largely inconsequential, but if you need further evidence that they indeed save lives, we point you to the law firm of attorney Steve Gursten in Michigan, where a helmet quite literally saved the eye (and possibly the life) of a longtime receptionist. Countless stories like this exist, and they are not as few and far between as you might believe. For more perspective on helmets, read Jay’s opinion.

For Cyclists: Know your hand signals

Some cyclists underestimate or flat out ignore the importance of using proper hand signals, yet it’s one of the simplest ways to declare your intentions. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration provides a handy (pardon the pun) guide illustrating the proper indicators, and Active outlines eight of the basics by way of a slideshow. Of strong importance: The “Stop” and “Left Hand Turn” signal.

For Drivers: Employ the “Dutch Reach”

In our last blog post, we noted that more than 300 local cyclists crashed into car doors in 2015, a 50 percent increase from the previous year, according to statistics provided by the Illinois Department of Transportation. That’s a staggering statistic. One of the solutions that we, along with many others, proposed was promoting the Dutch Read, a concept developed in the Netherlands. The idea is this: Always open the car door with the hand furthest from the door (e.g. U.S. drivers open their doors using the right hand), forcing you to turn your body in the direction of oncoming traffic, thereby giving you a better vantage point of oncoming traffic. Simple. Easy. Necessary.

For Drivers: Avoid distractions

This may be stating the obvious. Stay off your cell phones and other handheld devices. I don’t think we need linkage to any studies or statistics on this one. Nothing’s more dangerous or consequential for those who ignore the basic safety tenements of the road. It’s also illegal, which means a conviction could end up costing you anywhere from a traffic violation to jail time depending on the severity of a crash.

For Drivers: Proceed with caution

It’s inevitable that you’re going to pass a bicycle at some point while driving. Give as much room as possible at a relatively slow speed, exacting a great deal of patience as you do. If you can’t pass right away, wait until the moment’s right, and whatever you do, don’t honk. Honking can induce panic, causing cyclists to make unpredictable decisions. Don’t put either you or the cyclist in that situation.

Chicago is Already Experiencing Issues with E-Scooters

July 1, 2019 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

Within its first week as part of a 4-month long pilot program, Chicagoans took over 60,000 rides on the city’s new e-scooters throughout various neighborhoods of city. Since its unveiling, there has already been a large number of complaints regarding the scooters. The city’s Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection (BACP) alone has received 45 complaints since the program first began. With that being said, it’s not as if the complaints aren’t valid. Many in Chicago are seeing scooters piled up on sidewalks, forcing pedestrians to weave throughout foot traffic. In a city of three million people, issues such as these, which may seem small at the moment, exacerbate the problem. Based on the Chicago Department of Transportation’s “E-Scooter Do’s & Don’ts,” riders are instructed to “park scooters with care.” Unfortunately, with no clear oversight due to such a high volume of pedestrian, bike, and auto traffic already in the fold, scooters may just be too difficult to track and regulate.

As the media has been reporting throughout the United States regarding cities entering pilot programs, it has become clear Chicago is not alone. Unfortunately, some of the cities that have been experiencing major issues, accidents, and even fatalities, have far stricter rules than Chicago. The only mandate in Chicago is placed on the time of day a person may ride the scooters and specific areas where riding is banned. However, if you do decide to take the plunge and try out Chicago’s new e-scooter program, be smart about it and possibly take some training courses. Lime, one of the e-scooter providers for Chicago’s pilot program, is offering “First Ride Academy” courses, which aim to provide first-time riders with scooter safety information and tips on how to park scooters responsibly throughout the city. Details on the courses can be found below:

Location: West Palmer Square Chicago, IL 60647

Dates: Every Saturday, June 29 – July 27

Tickets: Click here

A growing trend

As overall interest in scooters has grown, there has clearly been a rise in the number of accidents and injuries, as expected. However, after seeing such a high number of fatalities increase as a result of these scooters, cities must ask if it is worth the risk. As reported at the beginning of June, “there are no comprehensive statistics available but a rough count by the Associated Press of media reports turned up at least 11 electric scooter rider deaths in the U.S. since the beginning of 2018. Nine were on rented scooters and two on ones the victim owned.” The issue with the scooters is not that they are available for residents to use, it’s the fact that they are not heavily regulated, and they are not essential for transportation needs. Cities like Chicago already have established public transportation and bike systems to allow for individuals to safely navigate the city. These pilot programs force cities to integrate an entirely new mode of transportation on a mass scale into an already developed daily practice of commuting for millions of people.

Injuries are frequent

Although it appears the fatalities and injuries sustained from these recent accidents are outliers, new reports are showing scooter injuries to be much more prevalent than we thought. Earlier this month, U.S. News reported a new study conducted by the American Journal of Otolaryngology finding an increase of head injuries from riding electric scooters across the United States. According to U.S. News, “between 2008 and 2017, nearly 32,000 injuries were estimated nationwide, according to a review of records in the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s National Electronic Injury Surveillance system. Accidents tripled from about 2,300 in 2008 to nearly 7,000 in 2017.” Not surprisingly, the most common injuries were concussions and brain bruising; however, this was largely due to the fact that 66% of the people injured failed to wear a helmet. What this information is telling us is that if cities fail to mandate certain safety equipment for riding scooters, the riders will not bother to wear helmets. Unfortunately, the injuries from these scooter crashes can be far more devastating. Though scooter riders in Chicago are limited to the bicycle lane, they can reach speeds of 15mph. Not requiring individuals to wear helmets under those circumstances is a risky proposition. That said, even if states or cities don’t require the use of safety equipment, we should all be doing ourselves a favor by putting a helmet on if we decide to join the scooter frenzy that’s now upon us.