* Press release…
On Feb. 15, 2021, at approximately 11:46 a.m. Illinois State Police (ISP) officials investigated a two-vehicle traffic crash on Interstate 55 northbound near Illinois Route 30 in Will County, involving an ISP Trooper.
On the above date an ISP Trooper responded to a traffic crash that occurred near the above location. The Trooper pulled behind the wrecked vehicles in the left lane and had the emergency lights activated in order to assist with directing traffic to the right. At approximately 11:46 a.m., while the Trooper was in his squad car, a 2010 black Cadillac crashed into the rear of the Trooper’s squad car causing injury to the Trooper. The Trooper was airlifted to a local area hospital with serious injuries. The driver of the Cadillac, 20-year-old Angel M. Casillas from Joliet, IL was also transported to an area hospital with minor injuries. The vehicles from the initial crash were not involved.
This crash marks the sixth ISP Scott’s Law related crash year-to-date in 2021 and the second in two days. Interstate 55 at IL Route 30 was closed until approximately 3:45 p.m. for the traffic crash investigation. As soon as information becomes available, we will be sure to provide an update.
* The squad car…
* Meanwhile…
* Task force delivers recommendations on Move Over Law
* State Task Force Calling For Harsher Penalties For Distracted Drivers In Illinois
* ISP move over task force proposes new ways to keep drivers safe
*** UPDATE *** Press release…
On Feb. 16. 2021, at approximately 8:15 a.m. Illinois State Police (ISP) officials investigated a two-vehicle personal injury traffic crash on Interstate 80 eastbound over Interstate 55 in Will County, involving a District 5 ISP Trooper.
On the above date, a District 5 Trooper was on Interstate 80 over Interstate 55 at the scene of a motor vehicle crash. The Trooper was inside of the stationary squad car, positioned behind the crash scene in the right lane with the emergency lights activated. The driver of a Gold Chevrolet, traveling eastbound on Interstate 80 approaching the Trooper’s location, lost control of the vehicle causing the Chevrolet to spin. The rear end of the Chevrolet crashed into the rear end of the squad car.
The Trooper sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was transported to a local area hospital for treatment; the Trooper has since been released. The driver of the Chevrolet, Michael J. Ryan, a 43-year-old male of Joliet, IL did not sustain any injuries. Ryan was cited for a violation of Scott’s Law, Driving Too Fast for Conditions/Failure to Reduce Speed to Avoid an Accident, and Operating an Uninsured Motor Vehicle.
The ISP would like to urge the public to obey the requirements of Scott’s Law, otherwise known as the “Move Over” law. When approaching an emergency vehicle, or any vehicle with their hazard lights activated, drivers are required to slow down and change lanes when it is safe to do so. A person who violates Scott’s Law, commits a business offense and faces a fine of no less than $250 or more than $10,000 for a first offense. If the violation results in injury to another person, the violator’s driver’s license will be suspended for a mandatory period of anywhere between six months and two years.
“This is the second crash, in less than twenty-four hours, that has resulted in a Trooper being injured and it is unacceptable,” stated Interim District 5 Commander, Lieutenant David Keltner. “When roadway conditions are unfavorable, our Troopers remain on the roadways to assist motorists who need help; I am pleading with everyone to pay attention while you drive, move over for them, and slow down on our roadways so these men and women make it home to their families,” added Lieutenant Keltner.
- Occasionally Moderated - Tuesday, Feb 16, 21 @ 7:33 am:
Thanks for posting Rich.
We need a miracle on this one.
This Trooper is one of the best. Smart and thoughtful and we need him back.
- RNUG - Tuesday, Feb 16, 21 @ 7:39 am:
I just don’t understand how these type of accidents keep happening. How blind do you have to be to not see a cruiser with all its’ lights on? Or was the other driver texting or otherwise distracted?
- Task Force Report - Tuesday, Feb 16, 21 @ 7:53 am:
The Task Force report states, (the current law) as written, “the law requires vehicles to make a lane change (Move Over) from the stationary authorized emergency vehicle. If a lane change is not available, vehicles must reduce their speed. The Task Force believes for vehicles to “proceed with due caution,” they should always reduce speed. Therefore, we would achieve Move Over AND Slow Down, as opposed to Move Over OR Slow Down.”
- Double J - Tuesday, Feb 16, 21 @ 7:55 am:
I spent many years working accident scenes on I-80 as a firefighter/Paramedic. Had numerous close calls. EVERYONE needs to SLOW DOWN and MOVE OVER for ANY vehicle stopped on or near the roadway. Let’s show some common sense and drive like it was our family out there. Those people ARE someone’s family. I hope the trooper makes a full recovery and that the person who caused this horrific accident pays dearly.
- Double J - Tuesday, Feb 16, 21 @ 7:55 am:
I spent many years working accident scenes on I-80 as a firefighter/Paramedic. Had numerous close calls. EVERYONE needs to SLOW DOWN and MOVE OVER for ANY vehicle stopped on or near the roadway. Let’s show some common sense and drive like it was our family out there. Those people ARE someone’s family. I hope the trooper makes a full recovery and that the person who caused this horrific accident pays dearly.
- Sox Fan - Tuesday, Feb 16, 21 @ 8:16 am:
===I just don’t understand how these type of accidents keep happening. How blind do you have to be to not see a cruiser with all its’ lights on? Or was the other driver texting or otherwise distracted?===
RNUG, I usually agree with your sentiment. According to the report, the trooper investigated the accident at 11:46 AM and the accident subsequently took place at 11:46 AM. It’s entirely possible this was just a tragic accident that may have been unavoidable.
- Occasionally Moderated - Tuesday, Feb 16, 21 @ 8:18 am:
RNUG,
Part of it is the traffic doesn’t get over soon enough. When the first vehicle in a line of traffic doesn’t get over as soon as they can, it obstructs the drivers behind them from seeing the lights on the shoulder.
I really think we are thinking about these problems wrong. It isn’t that people won’t get over. It’s that they aren’t seeing the lights at all or until it is completely too late to react. What we are doing isn’t working. I sometimes think that the worst thing we ever did was make cell phones in hand illegal. By doing that, everyone started keeping their cell down by their right leg so they are looking down and away from the road, taking any peripheral vision out of play. A great exercise to demonstrate this, on a two lane road, look at the posture of the oncoming drivers and where their nose is pointed when they pass by you. Depending on time of day, you will be surprised how many drivers noses are painted at their right knee.
Unfortunately I don’t have a solution. The solution is not penalties so severe that judges will not impose them. We keep making that mistake and it is not helping the problem.
- Occasionally Moderated - Tuesday, Feb 16, 21 @ 8:21 am:
“Part of it is the traffic doesn’t get over soon enough. When the first vehicle in a line of traffic doesn’t get over as soon as they can, it obstructs the drivers behind them from seeing the lights on the shoulder.”
I should have added that this causes a chain reaction of drivers not slowing down and moving over. Eventually someone ends up right on top of the emergency scene before they see the lights and the crash occurs.
- Occasionally Moderated - Tuesday, Feb 16, 21 @ 8:25 am:
It is never unavoidable when a vehicle rear ends another vehicle. Ever.
Especially when the vehicle which has been rear ended has flashing emergency lights of any color activated, including yellow lights.
- Give Me A Break - Tuesday, Feb 16, 21 @ 9:18 am:
Saw an example of this last week on 55 just north of the state police academy.
A trooper had a car pulled over and most of the traffic was moving to the left.
However, one car for whatever reason decided to wait until they were almost on top of the trooper’s car before moving to the left almost causing a wreck between cars already in the left lane.
- Flyin' Elvis'-Utah Chapter - Tuesday, Feb 16, 21 @ 9:47 am:
Thankfully I don’t spend a lot of time on interstates any more.
Maybe it’s me, but it seems like a lot of drivers, especially those old enough to know better, have forgone basic common sense while behind the wheel.
- Six Degrees of Separation - Tuesday, Feb 16, 21 @ 9:53 am:
I’m sure all the facts will be gathered including driver error, and if the driver was distracted or inattentive they should be held accountable. But the left shoulder of I-55 was purposely built to a narrow width when a lane was added to save money. The left shoulder is dangerous for a stopped vehicle in any case, but if it had been built to the full 12′ we might have been talking about a near miss here.
- ddp76 - Tuesday, Feb 16, 21 @ 9:54 am:
“It is never unavoidable when a vehicle rear ends another vehicle. Ever.”
This is why you and I (and others) don’t get into accidents. Because we leave proper spacing. It’s also why people cut in front of us when they can. Frustrating, but I always leave myself an out.
- Stig - Tuesday, Feb 16, 21 @ 10:02 am:
Agreed that what we’re doing today isn’t working.
I often wonder why the focus has been placed on “move over” instead of “pay attention and slow down”
Moving over requires us to take our attention away from the emergency vehicle.
Drivers are terrible at focusing on more than one thing at a time. Instead of concentrating on checking our blind spot and merging over into the other lane, we need to maintain our attention on what’s happening in front of us.
Sure, merge over and give some room if you have ample time to do so, but don’t make that the primary focus.
- Responsa - Tuesday, Feb 16, 21 @ 10:12 am:
== have forgone basic common sense while behind the wheel.==
I want to know if the young driver had a DL and if he had attended Driver’s Ed in school. Back in the day one of the main purposes of Driver’s Ed was to scare young novice drivers about the awesome responsibilities of being behind the wheel. I also want to know the results of toxicology tests on the Cadillac driver. That information is not included in any news report on the collision that I have seen. Laws and PSAs that implore people to move over do little good if the offending driver is impaired or texting. Thank you for posting this, Rich.
- Huh? - Tuesday, Feb 16, 21 @ 12:13 pm:
From the photo, that section of northbound I55 where the crash occurred is a difficult place to pull off on the left side. Very narrow inside shoulder, on a curve to the left with a hill. With traffic merging on the right, it is a bad place for a crash.
Drove past that section I55 on my daily commute until was sent home due to covid. People driving too fast, weaving in and out of traffic, vehicles merging from US 30.
- Product of the '60's - Tuesday, Feb 16, 21 @ 1:59 pm:
How about a camera in or on top of trooper’s car that when they pull over for accident/ticket/help is automatically activated either all the time or like a red light camera activates if a vehicle approaches without pulling over.
As other’s have said, for tropper safety all it requires is for drivers to be looking ahead and anticipating what possibly could happen.
- RNUG - Tuesday, Feb 16, 21 @ 2:30 pm:
Just saw where another one happened at 9:09am today on I-57.
Left lane again. Trooper transported with non-life threatening injuries. Driver and passenger in the vehicle that guy the squad uninjured. Multiple citations issued.
- Practical Politics - Tuesday, Feb 16, 21 @ 2:55 pm:
It’s afternoon now, and the snow plows are beginning to catch up. The main arteries were in really bad shape a few hours ago and I-94 was covered in snow with ruts created by passing vehicles. Be careful everybody.
- Anonanonsir - Tuesday, Feb 16, 21 @ 3:05 pm:
Adjusting the speed limits might be worth considering.
- Dotnonymous - Tuesday, Feb 16, 21 @ 3:37 pm:
Anyone who viewed, “Death on the Highway” way (way) back when our Schools used projected films of carnage on our roads and highways…remembers…they should reconsider that tactic today…if you asked me.
- Occasionally Moderated - Tuesday, Feb 16, 21 @ 5:43 pm:
I think the tech exists that would allow speed limit reductions in seriously inclement weather. It seems I have seen speed limit signs in other states where the speed portion is a lighted sign. That might help.
I love higher speed limits. I don’t love them in snow or on ice.
That being said, I’m not convinced the offenders in these kind of cases see the emergency lights in time to react. I think there are various reasons for that. I think we need to find out what those reasons are and design our response accordingly.
In the mean time, please Move Over Sooner.