H.B. 4861 — Vulnerable Users Bill
Background:

In 2007, more than 160 pedestrians and bicyclists were killed on roads in Illinois.

All bicyclists and pedestrians are considered Vulnerable Users -- along with other users of alternative transportation, such as equestrians and unprotected farm equipment operators. Vulnerable users like bicyclists and pedestrians are often children and senior citizens, and they do not have the extra protection of a steel frame to shield their bodies during a crash.

Each one of these crashes is a personal tragedy for the family of the deceased, and far too often the drivers responsible receive little or no punishment. The Vulnerable Users Bill will create stiffer penalties for careless driving that kills or seriously injures vulnerable users of the roadways.

What the bill does:

The Vulnerable Users Bill proposes that drivers who kill a bicyclist or pedestrian would be fined a minimum of $12,500, face up to a year in jail, and be subject to the suspension or revocation of their driving licenses. Current penalties include neither jail time nor significant monetary fines.

While the Vulnerable Users Bill alone can’t prevent future tragic crashes, it is one step toward acknowledging the true horror and violence that accompany these deaths. The Vulnerable Users Bill holds drivers accountable when their careless driving causes the death or injury of a vulnerable user.