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Slow down!

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* From the Illinois State Police’s Facebook page…

On November 12, 2019 during an ice storm, a stranded motorist who was being helped by two Illinois State Police Troopers experienced a “Miracle on the Ice.” That’s what it’s being called around ISP District 19 - Carmi!

Probationary Trooper Pflaum and his Field Training Officer, Trooper Zimmerman, were changing the tire on a vehicle on Interstate 64 at milepost 101 near Wayne City, when they came inches from losing their lives. Listen closely as the two ISP HEROES start yelling “Watch out!” and pull the woman out of the way. Fortunately, she was down in the ditch line as the box truck literally passed over the top of her and barely missed the two Troopers. She was treated and released from a local hospital and the two Troopers were not injured. While this was not a Scott’s Law violation because the box truck driver had already moved over to the left lane, he was not showing due caution as he proceeded past the scene. The driver of the box truck was cited for Failure to Reduce Speed to Avoid a Crash. (All subjects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.)

We were inches away from a different story being told. Literally inches.

Folks, we can’t stress this enough! SLOW DOWN! Move over when you see vehicles on the shoulder of the roadway with their lights on. Proceed with caution. It is especially important during the snow/ice conditions. As you can see, sometimes it’s a matter of life or death as a stranded motorist. It’s not just about us out there, it is people you know and love that we are assisting also.

* The video is quite dramatic. I presume the troopers are yelling “Truck! Truck! Truck!” and not something else, so just say that’s what it is if you’re at work…

Whew. Man.

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Nov 15, 19 @ 3:12 pm

Comments

wow.

Not to totally defend the guy, but if he was in the left lane, wasn’t he going the same speed as the driver in front of him and the driver behind him?

Comment by Tough Times Friday, Nov 15, 19 @ 3:24 pm
That spooked me. Wow.

Slow down. You see anyone pulled over, move over, slow down.

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Nov 15, 19 @ 3:39 pm
Jesus has a very special plan for their lives. Because that was a miracle.

Comment by Soccermom Friday, Nov 15, 19 @ 3:40 pm
Holy shlamoley. Thank God no one was hurt.

Slow. Down. What the heck are people thinking?

Comment by Nick Name Friday, Nov 15, 19 @ 3:50 pm
Tough times. Not a chance; the white vehicle in front of him was crawling, big rig driver was full send into these fine people.

Comment by ILLannoyed Friday, Nov 15, 19 @ 3:52 pm
Yes it can be nerve racking on the side of the interstate. As some one who has to work on broken down trucks on the side of the interstate, I have told several friends that if the drivers that don’t slow down and/or move over were on the side they would be calling the law. On more the one occasion we have had cones hit and once had a SUV actually swerve into our closed lane (working semi roll-over) to pass the slow traffic in front of it.

Comment by techman Friday, Nov 15, 19 @ 3:58 pm
Holy “truck”…

The car on the shoulder gets spun a full 180 when the box truck hits it. All are lucky that didn’t turn out a lot worse.

Comment by Stu Friday, Nov 15, 19 @ 4:13 pm
My daughter slid off the interstate on her way to school on Veterans Day. She and I sat in my car waiting for a tow truck. I was on the shoulder with emergency blinkers on. I was both astounded and angry at the number of vehicles who never bothered to move over for us. I’d say roughly a third of them did. A state policeman stopped to make sure we were ok and suggested we proceed to the next exit and wait for the tow because of the danger. Use your head people.

Comment by Cubs in '16 Friday, Nov 15, 19 @ 4:15 pm
Seriously, an innocent question (yes, the weather was a contributing factor here). In light of ISP recently announcing they were going to enforce the “left hand lane” law, does that law include an exception for getting over for all stopped vehicles, like Scott’s Law requires for emergency vehicles?

Comment by Anyone Remember Friday, Nov 15, 19 @ 4:15 pm
Wherever you are going, no matter how important you think you are, slow down. Other peoples live are at stake.

Comment by FormerParatrooper Friday, Nov 15, 19 @ 4:31 pm
Anyone Remember..
Yes, the left lane law provides a specific exception for “(5)when a vehicle changes lanes to comply with Sections 11-907, 11-907.5, and 11-908 of this Code…” And 11-907 is Scott’s Law

Comment by State Trooper Friday, Nov 15, 19 @ 4:33 pm