Walking, Biking Safer in City than Suburbs

Study analyzes pedestrian, bicycle crash rates around Chicago

Next time you're out for a walk or a ride on your bike, you might want to keep this study in mind.

The most dangerous place to take a stroll around the Chicago area is Hopkins Park, a small town in Kankakee County. People walking the streets in that town are three times more likely to be hit by a car than anywhere else in the area.

That's according to a study by the Active Transportation Alliance. The group said people walking or biking in the suburbs are far more likely to be hit by a car than people in Chicago, and to suffer serious injuries or die because of it.

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The group said the greater number of bicyclists and pedestrians on the street in the city actually makes it less likely that you'll be hit -- and suburban drivers tend to be going faster, which can make any crash with a pedestrian or bicyclist more serious.

Illinois has the 35th highest pedestrian crash rate in the country, ATA said.  

ATA did the study to raise awareness around bicyclist and pedestrian safety issues. The group said its goal is to cut the crash rate by 50 percent.

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