We applaud the Illinois Assembly for taking the bold and important step toward improving pedestrian safety with the passage of HB 43.
Once signed into law, this bill will require drivers to come to a complete stop for pedestrians in all intersections. That includes marked and unmarked crosswalks and ones that do not have a stop sign or traffic light.
More than 6,000 pedestrians are hit by cars each year in Illinois and this will prevent injury and save lives. It would not have been possible without the support and energy from key people and organizations.
Sen. Heather Steans and Rep. Luis Arroyo have championed this bill from the beginning. We are grateful for their hard work securing support for this important measure that prioritizes residents.
The Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police, Metropolitan Planning Council and a particularly active group of students from Curie Metropolitan High School played instrumental roles in the bill’s passage. We are also grateful for the Chicago Tribune’s coverage of pedestrian safety as a serious issue that HB 43 addresses.
This is a major victory for all Illinois residents, and we urge Gov. Quinn to quickly sign this monumental measure into law.
— Rob Sadowsky, Active Transportation Alliance
