On April 6, 2020, bicyclist David Powell died after being hit by a passing semi-truck driver who first saw him with adequate distance to slow or stop. The driver was only charged for driving on the left of the center of the roadway at an intersection. Illinois law provides for the more serious charges shown below. The State's Attorney should upgrade the charges and devote the necessary resources to a trial to ensure that Champaign County is recognized as taking the rights of all vulnerable road users including pedestrians, bicycles, motorcycles, and farm vehicles seriously.

Illinois law is very clear with respect to passing bicyclists, pedestrians, and horses (Chapter 625, 11-703, Overtaking a vehicle on the left), commonly referred to as the 3 foot passing rule ((d) The operator of a motor vehicle overtaking a bicycle or individual proceeding in the same direction on a highway shall leave a safe distance, but not less than 3 feet, when passing the bicycle or individual and shall maintain that distance until safely past the overtaken bicycle or individual.). The procedures for passing bicyclists were revised effective Jan. 1 of this year making the law clearer for vehicle drivers but the last two paragraphs are important: (e) A person driving a motor vehicle shall not, in a reckless manner, drive the motor vehicle unnecessarily close to, toward, or near a bicyclist, pedestrian, or a person riding a horse or driving an animal drawn vehicle; and (f) Every person convicted of paragraph (e) of this Section shall be guilty of a Class A misdemeanor if the violation does not result in great bodily harm or permanent disability or disfigurement to another. If the violation results in great bodily harm or permanent disability or disfigurement to another, the person shall be guilty of a Class 3 felony.

On October 11, 2020, another bicyclist was hit and killed by a passing semi-truck driver who did not stop (https://www.news-gazette.com/news/mahomet-bicyclist-dies-following-hit-and-run-accident-on-sunday/article_94a6d8db-f44a-5491-97e6-eab2c8f43975.html In this case, as in the previous one, the stretch of state highway being traversed is a frequently used connection between local rural highways for which no reasonable alternative exists. Drivers passing through Champaign County must be held accountable for reckless disregard of State law. We call on the State's Attorney to protect the public from careless and reckless driving by prosecuting the offenders to the fullest extent of the law.