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New law and ‘Dutch Reach’ method to open car doors aim to prevent dooring crashes

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Above / Do you know the “Dutch Reach” method for opening car doors with right hand aims to prevent “dooring crashes”?

UPDATE, Jan. 4, 2019 / By the numbers, on January 1, 2019, 253 new laws took effect in Illinois. To learn more about all of them,  scroll down this post to links to all new laws, one of which addresses the Dutch Reach method of opening your car door. Note the number of the new laws that will have an impact on students and schools. Thanks for going with knowledge.


Governor Bruce Rauner recently signed bike safety bill to reform Illinois’ road manual and driver’s license exam. New legislation promotes the Dutch Reach method of opening car doors to prevent dooring crashes. The bill signed last summer is among more than 200 new laws that went into effect on Jan. 1, 2019.

UPDATE, Dec. 20, 2018 / Reminder from the Naperville Police Department…

Ever heard of the “Dutch Reach” method? Now your child in Driver’s Education will be learning this method to reduce bicycle-related crashes involving car doors.  The “Dutch Reach” method encourages drivers and passengers to use the hand farthest from the door to reach across their body to open the door after parallel parking. Research shows this reminds people to look back for cyclists before exiting the vehicle and can help prevent “dooring” crashes. This sounds like something good for all of us to start practicing!  —Julie Smith, NPD Crime Prevention Specialist

Originally posted from Springfield, Ill: August 15, 2018 — A bill that adds the Dutch Reach method to Illinois’ Rules of the Road manual and adds bike safety questions to the state driver’s license exam has been signed into law.

The Dutch Reach method encourages drivers and passengers to use their far hand and reach across their body to open car doors after parallel parking, forcing people to look back for approaching cyclists and other traffic before exiting the car. Research shows it makes drivers and passengers more aware of approaching cyclists, helping prevent crashes and save lives.

“With more people riding bikes in communities across Illinois, these updates to the state’s road manual and driver’s license exam are sorely needed,” said State Rep. Theresa Mah, the bill’s lead sponsor. “The changes will help people driving become more aware of bicyclists and teach them how to travel and exit their cars safely.”

The bill (House Bill 5143) was co-sponsored by a bipartisan group of 20 legislators and passed both houses with strong, bipartisan majorities. Governor Bruce Rauner signed the bill into law last Friday.

‘Dooring’ crashes on the rise for people riding bikes

Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) data shows dooring crashes are on the rise across the state, especially in urban areas. In 2015, there were more than 300 reported dooring crashes in Chicago alone – a 50 percent increase over the previous year.

Drivers who use the “Dutch Reach” method to open the door of a car would get into the habit of looking back to see oncoming cyclists, preventing their getting “doored.”

“Getting doored is never too far from the mind of people riding bikes in the Chicago region,” said Ron Burke, Executive Director of the Active Transportation Alliance. “This law is a good step towards reforming state policy to better reflect the needs and safety of all road users.”

For months, Ride Illinois, a statewide bicycle advocacy organization, worked collaboratively with the Secretary of State on revamping the road manual and exam’s bicycle safety content for drivers and bike riders, including adding the Dutch Reach.

“In recent years state legislators and agencies have shown a willingness to work with the bicycling community to improve safety and promote bicycling as a transportation option,” said Ed Barsotti, Chief Programs Officer of Ride Illinois. “This law is another step forward in making Illinois a more bike-friendly state.”

The pool of questions for the Illinois driver’s license exam currently doesn’t include any questions about the Dutch Reach method or any other bike safety topics. The law directs the Secretary of State to consider adding multiple questions, including one about the Dutch Reach method.

Another bill promotes biking and walking education

Another safety bill (House Bill 4799) that would make biking and walking education a requirement in Illinois schools is currently being reviewed by Governor Rauner. The Bike Walk Education in Schools Act clarifies the existing traffic safety K-8 school curriculum requirement to specifically include biking and walking safety. Illinois crash data shows nearly five children are hit by drivers every day while walking or biking within one block of a school. The bill passed both houses with strong, bipartisan majorities.


About 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.

About Ride Illinois

Ride Illinois is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving bicycling conditions throughout the state. The organization advocates for all Illinois bicyclists, promoting bicycle access, education, and safety. Ride Illinois works with local, state, and federal officials on behalf of bicyclists and advocates for bike friendly road designs and policies; promotes trail development and funding at the local, state, and federal levels; educates officials on how their towns can be bicycle friendly; develops bicycle safety education programs for cyclists and motorists; serves on transportation policy-making committees; proposes legislation and other programs protecting cyclists’ rights on the roads. For more information about Ride Illinois, visit www.rideillinois.org or call (630) 978.0583.

Story submitted by Kyle Whitehead, Managing Director of Public Affairs, Active Transportation Alliance. (PN Photos)


New Laws to Illinois Statutes / Submitted by State Rep. Grant Wehrli

On January 1, 2019, 253 new laws took effect in Illinois. These laws have wide raging impact. Just a few of them include:

  • Children under the age of 2 years old must be restrained in rear facing car seats unless they weigh 40 or more pounds or are 40 or more inches tall. 
  • Government employees who have been fired for misconduct can no longer receive severance packages. A Severance package for any other employee is limited to no more than 20 weeks of pay.
  • Qualified students can enroll in an unlimited amount of dual credit courses and earn an unlimited amount of academic credits from dual credit courses with certain provisions.
  • When purchasing any firearm, the buyer must wait 72 hours from the time of the purchase to receive the gun. Under prior law, the 72-hour waiting period only applied to handguns.
  • Every Illinois school is required to conduct at least one law-enforcement led active shooter drill each year. School safety drills must be conducted within 90 days of the start of the school year.
  • Nursing mothers will be exempt from jury duty upon request. 
  • Stalking laws are expanded to include messages sent through social media. Additionally, businesses, places of worship and schools can seek restraining orders against stalkers.
  • The Lyme Disease Prevention and Protection Act was enacted opening the door in Illinois for new treatments for Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases.
  • All children in kindergarten and the second, sixth, and ninth grades of any public, private or parochial school shall have a dental examination.

Read the complete list.

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