I wrote earlier this week that there was a new law presented in the Chicago city council’s Committee on Pedestrian and Traffic Safety that would lower the speed limit on city streets to 25 mph. According to multiple new outlets, including WGN News, the proposed law passed through the committee process and heads to the full city council for a vote.
The law would lower the speed limit on city streets only. It would not apply to streets owned by the Illinois Department of Transportation (“IDOT”). It’s not clear from the research I’ve done how many Chicago streets are under the jursidiction of IDOT.
The chairman of the committee, Alderman Dan LaSpata, is adament that this is not a money grab by the city. He stated the following at the committee hearing: “The goal is not more revenue. The goal is to change behaviors and save lives.”
The city says that 70 percent of the traffic fatalities last year involved motorists traveling at high speeds. Data shows that a person struck by a vehicle traveling 30 MPH has a 60 percent chance of survival. That chance of survival increases to about 95 percent if the person is struck by a vehicle traveling 20 MPH.
A separate measure passed Monday would create a pilot program that would allow citizens to submit photos of vehicles illegally parked in bike and bus lines to the city through 311. The city’s Department of Finance would then issue citations to the vehicle’s registered owners after two warnings.
Again, I will be watching this closely to see if this passes the full city council vote and is signed by the mayor and will update as soon as news is released.
If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in a Chicago car crash or in a Chicago pedestrian accident, then call the Illinois injury attorneys at The Bryant Law Group, LLC at 312-614-1076 or go directly to our website at www.blgchicago.com.