Bolingbrook Bicycle Lawyers

Attorneys for Injured Cyclists Hit By Cars

Bolingbrook is a growing suburb in Will County with busy arterials, shopping corridors, and an expanding network of bike paths and residential streets where people ride for commuting, fitness, and errands. That mix, which causes more people on two wheels, plus fast-moving traffic on roadways like Route 53, Boughton Road, and Weber Road, means bicycle safety is an ongoing local concern.

At John J. Malm & Associates, our award-winning Bolingbrook personal injury lawyers have decades of experience representing victims of serious accidents in Bolingbrook, Will County, and throughout the greater Chicago area. Our firm is known for providing compassionate, client-focused representation and for achieving outstanding results in complex personal injury and wrongful death cases. We understand how devastating a bicycle accident can be, physically, emotionally, and financially. Our team is committed to helping injured cyclists and their families recover full and fair compensation, while holding negligent drivers accountable for the harm they cause.

“Bicyclists are vulnerable road users. When a driver makes a mistake, the consequences can be devastating. At John J. Malm & Associates, we stand up for injured riders and their families: to preserve the evidence, uncover what really happened, and hold negligent drivers and insurers accountable.” — John J. Malm, Bolingbrook bike accident attorney

The Local Picture on Bolingbrook Bicycle Accidents

City-level crash reports compiled by the Illinois Department of Transportation provide the most reliable annual snapshot of traffic harms in Bolingbrook. In 2023, the IDOT Bolingbrook city summary recorded 5 pedalcyclist crashes within Bolingbrook city limits (all were non-fatal). That same city report shows the municipality experienced several hundred total police-reported crashes in 2023 (the report’s overall traffic counts can be used to compare relative risk by mode). The bottom line: bicycle crashes in Bolingbrook are relatively infrequent in absolute terms, but each collision can cause serious injury because cyclists lack the physical protection of motor vehicle occupants.

The Statewide Trend That Matters

Bicycle crashes are a statewide priority: Illinois reported 41 pedalcyclist fatalities in 2023 and thousands of bicycle-involved injury crashes, according to the Illinois 2023 Crash Facts & Statistics. Bike crashes remain a small percentage of total crashes statewide (less than 1% of total crashes in 2023), but they represent a disproportionate share of severe injuries and fatalities among vulnerable road users. For communities like Bolingbrook, statewide trends matter because changes in e-bike use, trip patterns, and driver behavior influence local risks, even if a single municipality records only a handful of bike crashes in a year.

Where and When Bicycle Crashes Happen in Bolingbrook

City crash summaries and local reporting show patterns that repeat in many suburbs:

• Arterial intersections and multi-lane roads. Major crossings on Boughton Road, Route 53, Weber Road, and near shopping centers are common locations for conflicts between motorists and cyclists, especially where dedicated bike lanes are absent, turning movements are frequent, and sight lines are constrained. Local traffic incident reports and area crash maps (including a number of reported crashes at Route 53 & Boughton) highlight these hot spots.
• Driveways and parking-lot edges. Collisions occur when drivers back out or pull from parking aisles without seeing a cyclist, or when a cyclist is riding along the edge of a driveway approach.
• Midblock crossings and multi-use paths. Where paths or sidewalks cross driveways or minor streets, crashes can occur if drivers or cyclists fail to yield or properly look both ways.
• Peak hours and poor visibility. Many bicycle crashes happen during morning and evening commutes when traffic volumes are high and visibility is reduced. Statewide crash data confirms a large share of serious crashes occur in daylight but concentrated around peak travel windows.

Typical Injuries From Bike Accidents in Bolingbrook, Illinois

Even low-speed collisions can cause significant injuries. The injuries most often seen in bicycle collisions include:

• Head injuries and traumatic brain injury (especially when helmets are not worn)
• Fractures of the arm, wrist, collarbone, and pelvis
• Road-rash and soft-tissue injuries that can require surgery or long rehab
• Spinal injuries and paralysis in severe collisions
• Internal injuries in high-energy impacts (for example, collisions with larger vehicles, like SUVs)

Because bicycles lack the crumple zones and restraint systems of cars, the potential for hospitalization and long-term disability is higher on a per-crash basis, making prompt medical attention and evidence preservation important steps after any crash.

Common Causes of Bicycle–Motor Vehicle Collisions

Crash reports and traffic-safety research identify frequent contributing behaviors for crashes between cars and bicycles:

• Failure to yield/turning collisions. Drivers turning across a cyclist’s path (left or right turns) are a frequent cause of bike–motor vehicle collisions.
• Driver inattention and distraction. Basic visual scanning failures, such as looking down at a phone, failing to check mirrors and re-check for cyclists cause many preventable collisions.
• Speed and limited sight distance. Higher vehicle speeds increase both crash severity and the distance a motorist must see and react.
• Riding against traffic or poor lane positioning. Cyclists riding the wrong way, too close to parked cars (risking dooring), or too far to the left in narrow lanes can be placed in the path of turning or passing vehicles.
• E-bikes and speed differentials. The recent rise in e-bike usage changes speeds on streets and paths; where motorists and cyclists misjudge relative speed.

Why Bolingbrook Riders and Drivers Should Care

For Bolingbrook families, the stakes of bicycle accidents are practical and immediate: a single severe crash can mean months or years of medical care, rehabilitation, lost income, and long-term disability. From a legal perspective, bicycle collisions frequently involve contested liability issues, such failure to yield, unsafe lane changes, or inadequate infrastructure design can each be critical to a legal claim.

How Liability and Compensation Claims Typically Work After a Bolingbrook Bicycle Accident

If you’re injured in a bicycle crash in Bolingbrook, these are the usual legal steps and considerations:

• Seek prompt medical care and preserve records. Medical treatment both protects your health and creates the documentation necessary for claims.
• Document the scene. Photos of vehicle damage, road markings, skid marks, lighting conditions, and the bicycle are valuable. Obtain contact information for witnesses.
• Report the crash. File a police report and request a copy; that report is often a key piece of evidence for insurers and lawyers.
• Preserve physical evidence. Keep your bicycle and helmet. Do not repair them until you’ve documented damage.
• Talk to an experienced Bolingbrook bike accident attorney who understands bicycle cases and local courts. Fault is often contested; drivers sometimes claim a cyclist was riding unsafely or in the wrong place. A lawyer will coordinate with reconstruction experts, request traffic or surveillance footage, and negotiate with insurers or prepare a lawsuit if needed.

Frequently Asked Questions about Bolingbrook Bicycle Accidents

Q: How many bicycle crashes happened in Bolingbrook last year?
A: According to the Illinois Department of Transportation city summary for Bolingbrook, 5 pedalcyclist crashes were reported in Bolingbrook during the 2023 calendar year.

Q: Are bicycle fatalities increasing in Illinois?
A: Yes. IDOT’s statewide 2023 Crash Facts reported 41 pedalcyclist fatalities in 2023, a notable rise compared with earlier recent years.

Q: Should I always call the police after a bike crash?
A: Yes. Having an official police report strengthens your insurance claim and any later legal action. The report creates a contemporaneous record of the incident, witnesses, and apparent damages.

Q: Do I need a lawyer for a minor bike crash?
A: For minor property-damage incidents, you may be able to resolve matters directly with insurers. But when injuries (medical treatment, lost work, long-term rehabilitation) or contested liability are involved, an experienced attorney is important to protect your rights and maximize recovery. Because bicycle-injury claims often involve complicated fault questions and significant medical costs, early legal advice is usually wise.

Q: Are e-bikes treated differently after a crash?
A: Legally, e-bikes can raise additional questions about speed and operator training. Evidence-gathering and expert analysis may be necessary to understand speed differentials and device capabilities. Local ordinances sometimes regulate where certain classes of e-bikes may be used.

Contact the Top-Rated Bolingbrook Bike Accident Lawyers at John J. Malm & Associates

If you or someone you love is injured in a Bolingbrook bicycle crash, immediate and informed action matters. At John J. Malm & Associates, we represent cyclists and families throughout Will County and the Chicago suburbs in bicycle injury cases. We know how to preserve critical evidence (police reports, roadway measurements, surveillance footage, and the bicycle itself), coordinate with medical and reconstruction experts, and build claims that fully account for medical expenses, lost wages, ongoing care, and non-economic losses like pain and suffering.

Time limits and evidence-preservation rules are strict. Call us for a confidential, no-obligation consultation so we can explain your rights, take immediate preservation steps, and begin investigating your case while evidence is fresh. Let our experienced team of Bolingbrook bicycle accident attorneys put decades of trial experience and local knowledge to work for you and your family.