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The best of biking in 2024: A look back at the year’s good news

The best of biking in 2024: A look back at the year’s good news

Lifestyle Reindeer are keeled over from exhaustion, Santa from excessive eggnog and the Grinch from a heart too small. As colorful corpses of holiday inflatables…

Monday, Jan 20

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Lifestyle Reindeer are keeled over from exhaustion, Santa from excessive eggnog and the Grinch from a heart too small. As colorful corpses of holiday inflatables disappear from suburban lawns, it’s time to reflect on 2024’s good news for Chicagoland biking.

Bike fatalities down

A preliminary look showed biking deaths due to Illinois traffic crashes fell almost 20% from 2023 totals, from 41 to 33. While one death is one too many, this decline is encouraging given the average number of fatalities from 2021-23 was 36.

On Dec. 31, the Illinois Department of Transportation ’s “As of” snapshot chart reported 32 deaths. Missing was the Dec. 29 death of a 58-year-old Alton resident, as reported by St. Louis NBC affiliate KSDK-TV.

In a recent phone call, IDOT public information officer Maria Castaneda explained that fatal traffic crash statistics are fluid numbers due to delays in data collection. Myriad Illinois law enforcement groups are responsible for transmitting data to IDOT for all types of vehicle crashes.

“2024 crash data is provisional and subject to change as more information is received,” Castaneda said.

Although official 2024 totals may creep higher than 33, Dave Simmons, Ride Illinois executive director, noted the reduction from 41 is good news, “though far too many pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorists are still dying on Illinois roads. Efforts and initiatives to increase safety for all road users — such as reducing speed limits and building separate infrastructure for bicyclists and pedestrians — must continue.”Asked about the drop, IDOT’s Castaneda said, “It’s too early […]

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