From the Sun Times' Chicago Grid:

Companies step up safety measures as more employees bike to work.

BY MEG GRAHAM   Christopher B. Burke Engineering Ltd. tries to cajole its employees into biking to work — then loads them up with safety gear: company-provided helmets, reflective clothing and blinkers.

“We try to equip everybody so they’re lit up like a Christmas tree, front and back,” says Mike Kerr, executive vice president of the Rosemont-based civil engineering firm.

Even as they encourage cycling, with all its health and environmental benefits, many companies also own up to the downside: Riding a bike in Chicago can be treacherous. In a city where an estimated 12 people are killed each year riding bikes, some employers are taking extra precautions to make sure employees have a safe two-wheeled commute.

Burke Engineering is planning to mark Bike to Work Week, which starts Monday, by logging miles in the Bike Commuter Challenge. The competition is hosted by the Active Transportation Alliance, a nonprofit advocacy group that pushes for better conditions for bicycling, walking and transit. As of Friday, nearly 4,500 people and 375 companies had signed up.

“On a higher level, people are looking at bike commuting — along with other active ways of getting around — as a way to improve employee morale, reduce health care costs and show they’re doing a good job for the environment,” said Active Trans marketing director Ethan Spotts.

In addition to giving out reflective gear, Burke Engineering lends bikes to workers and reimburses them 75 cents for each mile of their commute as part of what Kerr calls an “aggressive” bike to work program.

Safety is also a higher priority at Groupon after employee Bobby Cann was hit by a drunken driver while biking home from work May 29. The company has been working with Active Trans to step up safety efforts.

Groupon has a buddy ride program to coordinate group commutes from different neighborhoods. This week, the company will distribute bike lights and Chicago bike maps to employees. It’s also arranged discounts for employees who get tuneups and buy helmets at certain bike shops.

“Safe biking is always a part of our Bike to Work week efforts, but I think it’s safe to say that we are especially mindful of safety this year,” Bill Roberts said. “The lights were something we added after Bobby’s crash to further focus on safety and help new riders.”

Groupon’s most public gesture has been the launch of a daily deal that donates $10 to Active Trans to build protected bike lanes in Chicago. Communications coordinator Lily Gedney said the program had raised $35,000 as of late last week.

Colin Cameron, principal at Chicago Bike Law Firm, said cyclists need to be aware of measures moving through City Hall that could bring higher fines for neglecting traffic laws.

“You’ll see a lot of bikers, especially more experienced ones, that seem to disregard stop signs and stoplights and don’t follow traffic signals and rules as best they should,” Cameron says. “As an attorney for bikers, [the ordinance] is a big deal. Treating those rules seriously is a big deal for safety — and to avoid a ticket.”

Kerr said companies have a responsibility to keep employees safe if they’re offering incentives.

“We encourage people to bike, so it’s important to identify a safe route for them,” Kerr said.

http://www.chicagogrid.com/features/bike-helmets-blinky-lights-perk...