Laws made to protect pedestrians

Local News

Facebook

September 25, 2010

Laws made to protect pedestrians

BY BRIAN L. HUCHEL Commercial-News The Commercial-News Sat Sep 25, 2010, 11:29 PM CDT

DANVILLE — This is the year of the pedestrian as state law was passed to protect those who aren’t behind the wheel.

Illinois House Bill 43 passed through both sides of the General Assembly earlier this year and was signed into law by Gov. Pat Quinn on July 22.

Bringing Illinois in line with a number of other states, the bill amended the Illinois Vehicle Code to state that vehicles must stop and yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk where traffic signals are not present rather than simply slowing down or stopping if need be.

When Megan Wernigk comes out of work in the afternoon, there are two separate streets she can cross. And neither crosswalk, in her opinion, offers much safety.

As an employee at the Vermilion County Courthouse, Wernigk parks each day either across busy East Main Street or a block away in the Walnut Street parking garage. She’s part of a crowd that filters out of the courthouse each day and she said most of the time she takes the crosswalk across East Main Street.

Being in the crosswalk doesn’t mean the drivers are paying more attention, she said.

“Ninety-eight percent of them don’t let you cross before they pull into the road as they’re turning,” she said. “I just don’t think they care.”

She said using the crosswalk that goes across the midway point of the first block of North Vermilion Street doesn’t ensure safety either. Wernigk’s experiences make her think that many aren’t familiar with state law.

“I don’t think that they do,” she said. “As you walk across the street, (drivers) think they have the right of way and they don’t.”

The state law passed in July carries with it a potential fine of up to $150.

Danville Department of Public Safety Director Larry Thomason said most drivers are paying attention to people crossing the street.

“In general, most people are yielding to pedestrians when they see them in the crosswalk,” he said. “Overall it comes down to paying attention when driving.”

Text Only

Local News

Meeting targets education
May 20, 2013
Police, Fire Reports
May 20, 2013
Road work scheduled
May 19, 2013
Energy aid available
May 19, 2013
Special day honors military spouses
Each year on May 10, the U.S. military honors those who do not wear the uniform but who stand beside their service members every day — military spouses.

May 19, 2013 1 Photo
Hiking light is best way to travel
Last October, two friends and I went backpacking on the Appalachian Trail.

May 19, 2013
Producers' cow has local tie
I never would have thought that the adorable Producers Dairy cow illustration on my vintage cottage cheese container that I discovered last month at the Brocton Red Barn Market was the creation of a Danville denizen!

May 19, 2013 2 Photos
Networks feature genealogy series
Noted genealogical author Megan Smolenyak has reported in the Huffington Post that after a bit of a lull in genealogical programming, four genealogy series will premiere on U.S. television in the near future.

May 19, 2013
Pastors’ families live life in spotlight
The Rev. Jimmy Hopper recalls seeing a cartoon some time ago: Two young boys are walking past a home shaped like a fishbowl, and they see a family sitting down to dinner. One boy says to the other, “Our minister lives there.”

May 18, 2013 1 Photo
Children adjust to life as ‘preachers’ kids’
The teenage years are difficult enough, but imagine growing up with dozens or even hundreds of pairs of eyes watching your every move.

May 18, 2013
More Local News Headlines

Local News

Search Results

Facebook

Laws made to protect pedestrians

Site Map

Contact Us