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Roughly every three days, one person biking or walking is killed by someone driving a car in the Chicago region.

Revamped helpline supports walking & biking crash victims

May 6, 2019
Media Contact:
Kyle Whitehead
Active Transportation Alliance
Government Relations Director
O: (312) 216-0473
kyle@activetrans.org

 

May 6, 2019: Chicago, Illinois — Warmer weather means more people choosing to walk and bike. It also means a greater need to help people who had the misfortune of experiencing a traffic collision while on foot or a bike.

To lend a hand to these people, the Active Transportation Alliance — a regional advocacy organization that works to improve walking, biking and transit — offers relevant resources and free conversations with trained crash support volunteers. The service, which was recently retooled to make it easier for people using smartphones, allows crash victims to connect directly with the Crash Support Helpline through email or a phone call at the website, pedbikecrashsupport.org.

Helpline volunteers do not offer legal advice, but they do offer guidance through the thorny process of filing a police report, making an insurance claim and finding legal assistance. Crash victims will find these resources at pedbikecrashsupport.org:

  • Six steps you should take immediately after a crash
  • What you need to know regarding criminal and civil suites and general documentation.
  • Attorneys vetted by the Active Transportation Alliance
  • Details about your rights while walking or biking

“Hundreds of people have benefitted from the helpline since it started in 2010,” said Melody Geraci, Active Trans Deputy Executive Director. “Being in a crash while biking or walking can be a terrifying experience, and victims need good information so they are making the right choices while in distress.”

Active Trans campaigns extensively throughout the Chicago region on behalf of infrastructure and policies that help reduce crashes and make our streets safer for people walking and biking. “We’re working diligently to prevent walking and biking crashes from happening, but when they do, we want victims to get the support they need,” said Geraci.

Learn more at pedbikecrashsupport.org.

Note to media: A growing number of local municipalities, state departments of transportation, researchers and advocates recommend using the words “crash” or “collision” instead of the word “accident” when referring to traffic mishaps. The word “accident” can imply a lack of responsibility and diverts attention away from the fact that traffic crashes are fixable problems, nearly always caused by dangerous streets and unsafe drivers. Learn more about this issue.

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About the Active Transportation Alliance
The Active Transportation Alliance is a non-profit, member-based advocacy organization that advocates for walking, bicycling, and public transit to create healthy, sustainable and equitable communities. The organization works to build a movement around active transportation, encourage physical activity, increase safety and build a world-class transportation network. The Active Transportation Alliance has more than 20,0000 members and supporters in the Chicago region. For more information about the Active Transportation Alliance, visit www.activetrans.org or call (312) 427-3325.