Illinois launches pedestrian and cyclist safety campaign after fatal biking accident
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WTVO) — The Illinois Secretary of State's office is launching a new campaign focused on pedestrian and cyclist safety. This initiative follows the death of a Chicago Department of Transportation worker earlier this month. The campaign comes after Chicago Department of Transportation employee Riley O'Neil died on June 5 when a driver opened a car door into his path as he was biking. The safety effort aims to raise awareness about the "Dutch Reach," a specific method for exiting a vehicle to increase visibility of surrounding traffic. The Dutch Reach technique involves drivers using their right hand to open their car door instead of their left. This action causes the driver's body to naturally turn, allowing them to more easily spot oncoming cyclists and pedestrians. The guidance for the Dutch Reach was first incorporated into the state's "Rules of the Road" in 2018. All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by WTVO. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat information into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by WTVO staff before being published.
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