Please, move over and slow down
Tuesday, May 14, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller
* ISP…
On May 13, 2024, at approximately 7:53 p.m., Illinois State Police (ISP) officials investigated a traffic crash in Will County involving an ISP trooper’s squad car hit by a motorist who failed to move over.
On the above date and time, an ISP squad car was parked on the right shoulder on Interstate 55 northbound near milepost 252, north of IL59, with emergency lights activated, handling a traffic crash. The trooper was sitting inside of the squad car with his seatbelt fastened when his squad car was struck by a gray Toyota Corolla. The trooper was transported to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The driver of the Corolla, 31-year-old Asante Williams of Bolingbrook, IL., reported no injuries on scene. Williams was cited for the Move Over Law – Failure to Yield to Stationary Emergency Vehicle, Failure to Reduce Speed to Avoid an Accident and Improper Lane Usage.
Already in 2024, ISP has suffered 15 Move Over Law-related crashes with seven troopers injured. In 2023, ISP had 21 Move Over Law-related crashes with seven troopers injured and suffered 25 crashes in 2022, leaving 13 troopers injured. ISP reminds the public that the Move Over Law, also known as “Scott’s Law,” requires all drivers to move over when approaching an emergency vehicle, or any vehicle with its emergency or hazard lights activated.
A person who violates the Move Over Law faces a fine of no less than $250 and no 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. Additional information can be found at the following link: https://isp.maps.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/340d57cd956c453da2de25af804c268d.
The car…
- Demoralized - Tuesday, May 14, 24 @ 1:59 pm:
I understand it’s a minimum but $250 isn’t nearly enough punishment for violating this law. Hopefully actual penalties being imposed for these violations are much higher. And I think maybe a loss of license regardless of injuries might be in order.
- Give Me A Break - Tuesday, May 14, 24 @ 2:18 pm:
I really don’t understand why people can’t figure this out. The cars are typically lit up like Christmas trees and on the side of the road.
Do people drive that far on the shoulder? Do they just ignore flashing lights? Even if you can’t move to the left lane because of traffic is it that hard to slow down and try to move away from the shoulder as far as possible?
- ANON - Tuesday, May 14, 24 @ 2:25 pm:
drivers on Chicago highways are ridiculous and very little enforcement–put up the speed cameras and start doling out some fines or people are going to die.
- Carol Taylor - Tuesday, May 14, 24 @ 3:33 pm:
55 Saves Lives, Saves gasoline and diesel and leads to lower insurance rates.
- Pat former State Employee - Tuesday, May 14, 24 @ 3:46 pm:
As a former IDOT worker I can attest to the stupidity of drivers on highways, far to many times we have had to jump for safety as drivers are looking at phones or texting or reading , or putting on makeup or combing their hair. The traveling public has no idea how dangerous it is to work the roads.
- Give Us Barabbas - Tuesday, May 14, 24 @ 3:50 pm:
It keeps happening for two reasons: distracted or inattentive drivers, and selfish drivers who are solipsistic.
The distracted drivers are not looking ahead far enough to make the decision to change lanes and find a spot in the traffic flow to do the lane change in time, and braking at seventy is not a reflex they have built up.
The solipsists ignore all traffic safety concerns and laws. The only thing in their world that is real is themselves. They never follow speed or other rules unless a cop is driving in the lane next to them; immediate consequences are the only consequences in their minds. What the PSA messages should be doing is addressing the -passengers- of such drivers instead. Get them to make the driver comply.
- The Ford Lawyer - Tuesday, May 14, 24 @ 4:40 pm:
ANON- it isn’t just in Chicago that drivers are ridiculous. I handle criminal law cases downstate, and I routinely get calls from people charged with a Class A misdemeanor for driving considerably in excess of 100 mph on the interstate, or considerably over 90 on a state highway. Scott’s Law violations, construction zone violations… and that’s just the sober ones!
- Occasionally Moderated - Tuesday, May 14, 24 @ 6:44 pm:
In my experience these are offenses of inattention/distraction.
- clec dcn - Tuesday, May 14, 24 @ 7:16 pm:
Being a State Cop is a thankless and difficult job. Those who do this are really quite remarkable.
- Give Us Barabbas - Tuesday, May 14, 24 @ 9:25 pm:
The PSA campaigns and fines don’t work against the two kinds of drivers that break Scott’s Law: inattentive drivers and solipsistic drivers. The inattentive ones might want to comply and move over, but notice the situation too late to react properly and traffic in the passing lanes doesn’t always accommodate them in time.
The solipsistic drivers break all the traffic laws because no one else matters to them. They will only comply when the cop car is right alongside them with an immediate consequence. The PSA campaigns might do better by addressing the front seat passengers of such drivers, using their influence with the driver.