Governor, Illinois State Police Urge Drivers To ‘Move Over’

Fourteen Illinois State Police Troopers have been been struck by vehicles thus far in 2019, way ahead of last year's total of eight.

Even one trooper getting hit is way too many, but 14 is completely unacceptable.

Governor JB Pritzker has joined the Illinois State Police in urging Illinois drivers to respect the Move Over Law and use caution when approaching emergency vehicles on interstates and roads.

The Move Over Law, also known as Scott's Law, says:

That when approaching any police or other emergency vehicle stopped along the roadway, you must proceed with due caution, change lanes if possible, and reduce your speed.
An authorized emergency vehicle under Scott's Law, includes ANY vehicle authorized by law to be equipped with oscillating, rotating, or flashing lights under Section 12-215 of this Code, while the owner or operator of the vehicle is engaged in his or her official duties.

Scott's Law was named after Lieutenant Scott Gillen of the Chicago Fire Department who was struck and killed by an intoxicated driver while assisting at a crash on the Dan Ryan Expressway.

Scott's Law Chapter 625 of the Illinois Compiled Statutes (ILCS) 5/11-907(c), mandates that upon approaching a stationary authorized emergency vehicle, when the authorized emergency vehicle is giving a signal by displaying alternately flashing red and blue lights or amber or yellow warning lights, a person who drives an approaching vehicle :

Proceed with due caution, yield the right-of-way by making a lane change into a lane not adjacent to that of the authorized emergency vehicle, if possible with due regard to safety and traffic conditions, if on a highway having at least 4 lanes with not less than 2 lanes proceeding in the same direction as the approach vehicle. Proceed with due caution, reduce the speed of the vehicle, maintain a safe speed for road conditions, if changing lanes would be impossible or unsafe.

Governor Pritzker:

I'm here today to say to drivers on the roads: When you see a state trooper’s vehicle on the side of the road, slow down, obey the law and move over. “Our state troopers are putting their lives on the line every single day. They are our heroes and first responders, keeping people safe. No driver needs to get to their destination so quickly that they need to put a trooper’s life at risk. No one’s time or convenience is worth more than the lives of our state’s heroes.

Violators of the Move Over Law are mandated to appear in court. Additionally, they can be fined not less than $100 or more than $10,000 and have their driver’s license suspended for up to two years if the violation involves injury to another.