Driving in Illinois and passing vehicles with flashing lights
 

In case some of you will be towing thru Illinois, please be aware that to make it safer for police and other emergencey workers the state has been enforcing a newer law, and they will ticket you for not slowing down and moving over a lane when passing stopped emergency vehicles.

I'm not sure how to make these work as links, but you can copy and paste them:

http://www.isp.state.il.us/docs/1-163.pdf

http://www.topix.com/forum/state/il-...EKGMTJK62BMI9V

from http://www.sj-r.com/News/stories/20573.asp
Scott's Law a surprise for drivers 6 years later 'Education period' for motorists over, state trooper says
By JAYETTE BOLINSKI
STAFF WRITER
Published Friday, November 23, 2007
The driver of the tan Lexus sport utility vehicle never saw it coming.

He was incredulous when the Illinois State Police trooper who pulled him over Wednesday afternoon walked up to the window and explained the infraction. 'So you're telling me I had to move over and change lanes when I went by?' 'Yes, sir,' Price replied. The man's wife, sitting in the passenger seat, was ticked.
'All the people speeding out here and you're writing him for this?'
Yes, Price replied again, then returned to his patrol car to check the man's license and write a ticket for violating Scott's Law, now referred to as the 'move-over law.'
Moments earlier the driver had failed to move out of the right lane as he passed another trooper who was out on a traffic stop. Price, pulled off on the shoulder behind the other trooper, saw it happen.
'He's really not going to like the news when I tell him he has to appear in court,' Price said as he typed information from the Clayton, Mo., man's driver's license into the patrol car's laptop computer.
Indeed, the driver was mad when Price returned to the Lexus to present him with the ticket. His wife was angrier, though, shaking her head in disbelief.
'This is the most distasteful experience I've ever had with law enforcement,' she shot back at Price. And with that, the SUV pulled back onto Interstate 55 for points north.
Price has seen the reaction before.
'I probably get more arguments with this violation than with anything else,' he said.
Scott's law, signed into law in August 2001, requires motorists to use extra caution around emergency vehicles. When approaching a police car, firetruck, tow truck, roadwork truck or any other emergency vehicle with flashing warning lights, drivers must change lanes and slow down.
There is some discretion involved on the part of police. In some cases, drivers simply cannot change lanes because of clogged traffic. In those cases, they must at least slow down. It's up to the officers to decide if they should issue a citation.
The law was enacted after Scott Gillen, a Chicago firefighter, was struck and killed by a drunken driver Dec. 23, 2000, while assisting at an accident site on the Dan Ryan Expressway.
A veteran law enforcement officer, Price knows what it's like to stand on the shoulder of a highway with cars, semitrucks, buses, recreational vehicles and large trucks whizzing by inches away.
'They come close. I've been out there before and they hug that white line. The wind shakes you,' he said.
Penalties for violating the law include a fine of not more than $10,000. In addition, if the violation happens while a person is driving under the influence, his or her driver's license can be suspended for anywhere between 90 days and two years, depending on whether property was damaged or someone was injured or killed.
Price said he believes word of the law is getting out, though there still are numerous violations.
A review of more than 30,000 tickets logged with the Sangamon County circuit clerk since May shows 77 have been written here for violating the move-over law. Violators must appear before a judge.
A spot check of the tickets shows the majority of them were written by state troopers, though there are a few issued by Springfield, Chatham and Auburn police officers. Offenders often are fined $200 and given court supervision.
Price said he went to court on one of the tickets recently, and the judge found the accused driver guilty after he admitted he slowed down but didn't change lanes - even though there were no vehicles preventing him from doing so.
After the law went into effect, state police had an 'education period' during which they mostly issued warnings to violators. That period is over, and the troopers consistently write tickets for Scott's Law violations, Price said.
'I think it's getting better. It's still not 100 percent compliance, but it's getting noticeably better,' he said.

Re: Driving in Illinois and passing vehicles with flashing lights
 

I drive a flatbed and do quite a few jobs on both highways and country roads where the speed limit is 50-55 mph and believe me I wish I could grow a pair of eyes in the back of my head(That would come in handy for watching faster cars chasing me in eliminations).More times than not truckers (tractor trailers,tri axle dumps and straight rigs usually give you the courtesy of either slowing down or moving over,unfortunatly not always.The biggest offenders in my experiance are the soccer moms in their SUV's
yakking away on their cell phones.It only takes one incedent to end it all for you.A former driver for my company was killed on the NJ Tpk. last year by a woman with a small kid in an SUV.She rolled it 3 times and went home afterwoods the Towman was waked in a closed coffin,no bull****,true story.We all need to be more attentive when behind the wheel.Just my 2 cents in an over priced world.

Ed F.

Re: Driving in Illinois and passing vehicles with flashing lights
 

Again, we are all slaves by defacto segregation. Thanks J.P. Morgan!

Re: Driving in Illinois and passing vehicles with flashing lights
 

Nice post.I'm sure if some yahoo clipped your sorry *** on the highway you'de be singing a different tune.
Then that cop,bum criminal couldn't arrest the offender fast enough.It's no wonder we cant get a concensus on our problems with NHRA.

Ed F.

Re: Driving in Illinois and passing vehicles with flashing lights
 

Same law in TX and AR

Re: Driving in Illinois and passing vehicles with flashing lights
 

All I'm tring to say is have a reasonable law like, pull off the nearest exit so the rest of the drivers on the road don't hve to slow down and tie up traffic.

I've been in siuations where nobody would let me in to the other lane, even half a mile ahead of time with blinker on and slowed down.

This sorry *** has had enough of you Ed!

Re: Driving in Illinois and passing vehicles with flashing lights
 

Ohio and North Carolina also have the same law and Massachusetts is contemplating it. Mr. Fuller: I raced NHRA Stock in the 70's and 80's before becoming a police officer. I have 25 years on the job now. Let me show you the horrific aftermath of needless traffic accidents that change people's lives forever. We recently had a state trooper in the breakdown lane (lights flashing) with a disabled motorist. She was rear-ended by a drunk driver at over 100 mph. That trooper is now a confined to a wheel chair and is more or less incoherent - for the rest of her life! These are not victimless crimes. I fail to see the unreasonableness of slowing down and getting out of the way.

Re: Driving in Illinois and passing vehicles with flashing lights
 

"She was rear-ended by a drunk driver at over 100 mph"

Okay, there is a reason for the police helping a person, but pull the "Offenders" over at a rest area or a exit or something else where it does not affect the other drivers. Thats what I said earlier.

Don't make me the bad guy because I think about solving the "Whole" problem. Well except for the times where people are broke down or what have you.

Re: Driving in Illinois and passing vehicles with flashing lights
 

Jason...I 've been told that Ed has a big fat ***... :)

Re: Driving in Illinois and passing vehicles with flashing lights
 

Jason,

You are out of line with your comments. Put your self in the shoes of the police officers and other emergency workers before you make blanket statements that are totally incorrect. My son in law is a police officer and he doesn't resemble any of the names you threw around with no respect.

Re: Driving in Illinois and passing vehicles with flashing lights
 

Georgia has the same law.

Re: Driving in Illinois and passing vehicles with flashing lights
 

North Carolina has this law (as mentioned above) and has for several years now. I see very very few people who don't abide by it now that most everyone is aware of the law. It's actually a shame that it even has to be a law - you'd think people would have enough common curtosey and concern for law enforcement and those who they have pulled over safety to do it anyways. NC expaned the law to include other vehicles beyond law enforcement as well.

There has been two different situations in the Greensboro area within the last year or two that I know of on I-85 and I-40 - cars break down and are on the shoulder - waiting for assistance from a tow truck or whoever. Another vehicle comes blasting through the area, not paying attention, runs off onto the shoulder and hits the stranded car, killing the people inside of it. Clearly the person was not paying attention, they should have moved over or slowed down if they couldn't move over. Watch enough Amazing Videos or COPS on TV and you'll see this happen all the time.

Last year we had an emergency situation with me while heading to Mooresville and had to pull over on the shoulder of I-85. It was infuritating how many people who had an opportunity to move over but choose NOT to - we're setting there completely stopped and a foot from us they come flying through at 70mph. It was a butt puckering situation to say the least.

Anyhoo, the law enforcement would much rather people just abide this law then them have to write them a ticket, and within a reasonable period of time once everyone in Illinois is aware of the law, you'll see very few people not moving over.

Re: Driving in Illinois and passing vehicles with flashing lights
 

This got fired up here in southern IL again just in the last year or so. About 10 miles south of Mt Vernon IL there was a tractor trailer fire on the side of Interstate 57. The fire was out and a fireman was rolling up hose when a Greyhound bus ran over the fireman. The bus drivers trial is coming up soon so we will see what happens then. If you are on 57 or 64 in Southern IL make sure you pull over or slow way way way down or you are going to at least get a severe *** chewing. I have not read of anybody getting a ticket for it in the paper lately and they usually print every BS ticket they can print. As for the Law I see it this way. As a shop owner with a Tow truck I tow off of 57 and 64 regularlly in fact as you look out the shop window you can see 64 thats how close we are, so we get some towing business from it. I like the idea of the law to try to make it safer for me and my employees while towing a car. But I really dont think it doing a damn thing to get people to slow down and pay attention to what they are doing. In my oponion this law will end up like most in that its on the books but rarely does any body pay for breaking it as usually its just thrown out or reduced to nothing unless sombody gets severly injured. It will be just like drunk driving around here unless you kill somebody or do it more than 2-3 times in a short period of time its pay the fine and back in the car.

Re: Driving in Illinois and passing vehicles with flashing lights
 

Rob, I understand and agree with your theory that most laws like this are BS in the eyes of the court and will get reduced to nothing. However, I think this law will actually open drivers eyes to potential unsafe situations that they may have never thought of before. Unless you've been on the side of the road before stranded, you may not realize how scary it is to be there and have a car fly past you. I'm basing this opinion on the fact that most people didn't move over prior to this law being implemented in NC, but now they do. I don't think the people are moving over now because they're afraid of getting a ticket, I think they are moving over because they realize the potential dangers of not doing so.

I have heard in NC that a new law is being implemented in July that you will receive a fine if caught talking on your cell phone and driving. Which I am guilty of doing, like most of us are I'm sure. I realize its a safety hazard, so I'm going to refrain from talking on my phone while driving, not because I'm afraid of being fined, but because I'm afraid of being involved in an accident because I wasn't being as attentive as I should have been. It it scary how inattentive we can get behind the wheel of a vehicle and how easily we forget the damage that can be done by a moving vehicle.

Re: Driving in Illinois and passing vehicles with flashing lights
 

You just keep digging a BIGGER hole.......give it UP !!

And "dieing" is DYING...........did you flunk spelling ??? :-)

Re: Driving in Illinois and passing vehicles with flashing lights
 

The first time I encountered such a law was in Wyoming about 8 years ago. I thought that what the law was trying to get us to do was such a good idea that I adopted the behavior where ever I'm driving, whether the state has the law or not. Except if I see that Ed Fernandez on the side of the road, then I'm just going to run him over!

Re: Driving in Illinois and passing vehicles with flashing lights
 

This is also the law in Florida. In my 33 years as a Firefighter/Paramedic I saw 7 Police officers and 5 Firefighters killed by a passing motorist who hit or clipped them while they were trying to help someone. This is a huge and growing problem and slowing down and moving over is not much to ask to possibly save a life! Get your priorities straight Jason! Jim

Re: Driving in Illinois and passing vehicles with flashing lights
 

Very good law. My son watches a lot of the Cop shows and he has pointed out several accidents where drivers seem to be drawn like flies to the flashing lights and hit the officer or car. About a year ago in Atlanta they played a video on the news from a dash cam of an officer getting clipped while standing by a car talking to the driver. Hit and run but I think they eventually cought the guy. No broken bones but battered and bruised. Just a matter of inches.

Re: Driving in Illinois and passing vehicles with flashing lights
 

It's a good law.

I thought it was interesting in the original article that the ticketed couple from Clayton, MO were so offended and surprised at there being such a law. Missouri has had the law about a year longer than Illinois.

Clayton is very much yuppieland so it didn't surprise me that the vehicle was a Lexus SUV.

Re: Driving in Illinois and passing vehicles with flashing lights
 

Same law in Indiana for several years.....
It ain't brain surgery.

Indiana State Troopers do have a nasty habit of leaving their vehicles partially in the lane too, but DEAL WITH IT!
If you're paying attention, and not tailgating something you can't see around, it's pretty darn simple.

Re: Driving in Illinois and passing vehicles with flashing lights
 

I've noticed troopers doing that too here in NC Goob, kind of - they park their car about 4 feet out from the car they've pulled over, sometimes this causes them to be in the road partially. I think their theory is they'd rather a person hit their patrol car and have the patrol car forced into them, rather than be hit by the car who is running off the road completely. Maybe if the car running off the road hits their patrol car, it may slow the cars down the split second it takes them to get out of the way. Still a risk of getting hurt or injuried, but maybe not quite as badly. I've even noticed the troopers going to the passenger side of the car now adays instead of the drivers side.

And agreed, something about the flashing lights seems to draw people to that area. Another case in Northern North Carolina a year or two ago - car had broke down the night before, group of people are well off the side of the road pushing broke down car onto a trailer - woman blasts through their in her SUV, runs off the road and runs over them all over and killed all of them - 4-6 people I think. They charged her with vehicular manslaughter and if I recall correctly she was sentenced a few months back - I forget what exactly that sentence was, very lenient but she thought it was too much. I'm not sure I ever heard exactly what caused the woman to run off the road, but inattentiveness most likely was the culprit. I guess her theory was that just because she didn't intend to kill the people she shouldn't be held accountable for her actions.

Re: Driving in Illinois and passing vehicles with flashing lights
 

Same law now in Oklahoma.

Re: Driving in Illinois and passing vehicles with flashing lights
 

Just because you have a POST license, doesn’t mean you have any brains.

This is a classic case of the LEO becoming a public nuisance. That drivel and bilge on the side of your car…”protect and serve”… along with that flag on your shoulder, doesn’t mean squat: You do NOT have the most dangerous job out there and it is disgusting that you still purport that you do. Hell…farmers and construction workers have far more risk of dying on the job than you do.

I love good LEO’s. I despise bad ones that roust and hassle people that are no threat to anyone.

You want respect? Then stop whining and crying to legislators to make statutes for your ego. Your life is NOT worth more than anyone elses.

Re: Driving in Illinois and passing vehicles with flashing lights
 

Its funny this thread came up today. Since I made my eariler post this morning I have towed 2 cars off of Interstate 64. Since this subject was fresh in my mind I figured I would watch and see how many cars changed lanes for me while I was on the side loading up. Well I am sad to report with all the lights on the rollback flashing NOT ONE car moved out of the right lane that I saw coming although EVERY tractor trailer did. Wheres a cop when you need one.

Re: Driving in Illinois and passing vehicles with flashing lights
 

I Have to agree with the Bunkster,

Where are the laws protecting regular tax paying people?

I don't remember any laws saying people got to slow down when I'm on the side of the road with just hazard lights.

Don't get me wrong, we all pull over and slow down for the money makers.

Re: Driving in Illinois and passing vehicles with flashing lights
 

this is not needed on the eastern shore of md. seems EVERYONE drives in the left lane.(lol) i do put a lot of blame on driving instructors. we learned how to drive in high school, now it's a very short outside class. a lot of what i see are drivers on cell phones, driving in the left lane with no one in the right, 3 feet from the car in front of them.

going to the beach, they went so far as to put up signs "stay right execpt to pass" do you think this made any difference?
seems salt air must invade the brain of drivers to the beach, it is a great race to get here, i see them pass on the sholuder, motorcycles pass in between two cars, i saw a young lady the other day holding up an ambalence in the left lane with lights an siren blairing, so she throw's her hands up in the air, yep she was also on the phone.
do i think this law is good? sure it is, but only responsible drivers abide by them now. i have always moved over for emergency vehicles. i feel they will be handing out a lot of fines and it will still be the same.

Re: Driving in Illinois and passing vehicles with flashing lights
 

I agree the law should protect anyone who is on the side of the road, whether it be a police officer, parametic, transportation worker, tow truck driver or Joe Blow Citizen. But b*tching about it on ClassRacer.com isn't going to get that law changed. My thoughts are if the law already exists, it wouldn't be too difficult to get it expanded to cover anyone on the side of the road, maybe I'm wrong through. Contact your local representatives, congressman - whoever you need to and ask them to have the law changed to protect us when we're on the shoulder too. Unless you contact the appropriate people and make an effort to get a law changed then you can't complain about not having rights.

And by the way, a few weeks ago I was driving home and on the other side of Hwy 220 a woman had a flat tire. A Trooper had stopped to help her - he had her stand up on the hill away from traffic - she looked to be about 7-8 months pregnant - while he was on the drivers side changing her tire. Sounds like Troopers are real bad guys, eh?? Rolling my eyes (why don't we have smilies here??) - like any profession, there are going to be bad ones, but in my opinion there are far more good ones.

Re: Driving in Illinois and passing vehicles with flashing lights
 

Jason,you really suck at back pedeling on your rediculous statements.Kind of like the Biondo thread.
Div.6 I've been told people cant destinguish between my *** and your head.

TaTa Ed F.

Re: Driving in Illinois and passing vehicles with flashing lights
 

I have no problem with it, you just have to pay attention......
No way I'd want to stand out on the road dealing with an idiot either.

When I have been stopped, I also do my part to keep both of us out of harm's way as much as possible. I go to the grass.
I even escaped a ticket one day on a City M/C radar stop because I backed up about 150 feet so the officer wouldn't have to walk up to me, or move his M/C up to me. He told me that the manner in which I treated the stop showed good character and thanked me....

Re: Driving in Illinois and passing vehicles with flashing lights
 

Both of you guys need to do some ride along time.....:mad:

Re: Driving in Illinois and passing vehicles with flashing lights
 

I've done the ride-along thing. I've also been on a county jail board.

What's your point?

Re: Driving in Illinois and passing vehicles with flashing lights
 

This is a great idea, and one that should be taught in driver's education classes. A few public relations commercials and maybe a billboard or two would be helpful, as well. I first saw this done by my cousin while driving tractor-trailer 25 years ago, and it is a habit that I have adopted. In fact, I pulled to left for a pickup truck that I saw stopping on the Interstate just tonight. I don't think it should be a law, however. It is too vague. Maybe you slowed down, but you didn't pull over. Can the officer tell that you slowed down when you are coming directly at him? How much are you to slow down? If you hit an officer on the side of the road, they should throw the book at you, but pulling over and slowing down should be public safety advice.