Local Agencies Team To Crackdown on Illegal Bicycle Riding

Submitted by the City of Highland Park

On Friday, July 24, 2015 through Sunday, August 2 the Highland Park Police Department will join forces with Bannockburn, Deerfield, Lake Forest and Highwood Police Departments to conduct on-going education and enforcement activities pertaining to traffic violations committed by bicyclists and motorists. The aforementioned communities continue to receive a high number of citizen complaints in reference to illegal bicycle riding behavior on public roadways and motorists passing bicyclists with a distance of less than 3-feet between them. Illegal riding behavior by single and/or group bicyclists and improper passing of bicyclists greatly compromises public safety and increases the risk of a traffic crash which can result in injury or even death. Police officers from the listed communities will monitor areas where bicycle activity frequently occurs and enforcement will be conducted as appropriate.

In Illinois, traffic laws apply to persons riding bicycles. Bicyclists riding on a public highway are granted all of the rights and are subject to all of the duties applicable to the driver of a vehicle with certain exceptions. This includes stopping at all stop signs and red lights, not riding more than two abreast and yielding the right-of-way to pedestrians in crosswalks. Police officers are within their discretion and authority in stopping and detaining bicyclists that commit traffic violations. Police can request identification and/or driver’s licenses from bicyclists and issue written warnings which require participation in a traffic citation diversion program or issue traditional traffic tickets which require a traffic court appearance. Most traffic citations cost $120 and can total more than $300 with additional court costs.

In Illinois, motorists are required to “Share the Road” with bicyclists. Motorists are required to leave at least 3-feet when passing a bicyclist on a roadway and shall not in a reckless manner; drive unnecessarily close to, toward, or near a bicyclist. Violators are subject to citations and/or arrest. Police officers from the listed police departments will also be addressing these types of traffic violations during the multi-jurisdictional education and enforcement initiative.