As a constituent, I urge you to support SB2111, a bill that will allow people riding bicycles in Illinois to treat a stop sign as a yield sign, assuming 1) traffic hazards have been assessed by the bicyclist and 2) it is safe to proceed through the intersection.

About Safety Stops

This is update to the rules of road is past due in Illinois. Safety Stops increase safety for bicyclists and are a proven way to reduce crashes in intersections.

Importantly, right-of-way laws for bicyclists and motorists will still apply upon passage of SB2111:

• Bicyclists must still yield to motorists, pedestrians, and other roadway users who arrive first at stop signs.
• If a motorist arrives at a stop sign first, the bicyclist must stop and allow the motorist to proceed through the intersection.

Safety Stops do not allow for or sanction a bicyclist "blowing through an intersection" which will remain unsafe and illegal.

How do Safety Stops make travel safer? 

• While this may seem counterintuitive, this is a key element in increasing safety on roadways shared by bicyclists and drivers of motor vehicles. 
• By not completely stopping, bicyclists don’t need to restart slowly and awkwardly, spending less time in intersections – the most dangerous parts of Illinois roadways. 
• It is also far safer to get out in front of traffic at intersections to be seen and to avoid being “right hooked” — or sideswiped by a car in the next lane that turns into the bicycle lane. 

Are Safety Stops Legal in Other States?

Yes. Several states, including Idaho, Utah, North Dakota, Washington, Delaware, Colorado, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Oregon have passed Safety Stop legislation. A full list is available at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idaho_stop. Also, studies have found that crashes have decreased as a result of such legislation.

In addition, Safety Stops are included in the National Highway Traffic Safety Agency’s bicycle and roadway safety toolkit (https://www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/2023-03/Bicyclist-Yield-As-Stop-Fact-Sheet_032123_v5_tag.pdf)

In conclusion, legalizing Safety Stops for bicyclists has many benefits. Please vote YES on SB2111 to add another tool to Illinois' road safety toolbox for vulnerable road users. Thank you!