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SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois State Police and the Illinois Department of Transportation are warning drivers to “Slow Down or Get Pulled Over.”
The Move Over Law, known as Scott’s Law in Illinois, requires drivers to move over and slow down when approaching a stationary emergency vehicle with its emergency lights activated.
If changing lanes is unsafe or impossible, drivers must slow down to a safe speed, proceed with caution and be prepared to stop if necessary.
As of now, ISP has suffered five move-over crashes in 2025, resulting in four troopers injured.
One of those crashes occurred in Kankakee County.
On March 1, an ISP Troop 5 trooper responded to a report of debris on the roadway at milepost 302 near Chebanse, according to Illinois State Police.
The trooper parked the squad car in the right lane of travel with emergency lights activated and removed the debris, according to state police.
The trooper returned to their squad car, and the squad car was struck in the rear by a Lincoln SUV which failed to move over.
The trooper was taken to a local hospital for treatment of their injuries, state police said.
The driver of the Lincoln, 66-year-old Harold McComb, from Mahomet, was taken to a local hospital with minor injuries. He received tickets for failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident and a Scott’s Law violation, according to the release.
The Move Over Law not only applies to law enforcement vehicles, but ambulances, fire vehicles, IDOT Emergency Traffic Patrol vehicles, tow trucks and other authorized emergency vehicles as defined under the Illinois Vehicle Code. However, ISP and IDOT urge drivers to move over and slow down for any vehicle with flashing lights stopped on the side of the road.
“We’ve all heard it, move over and slow down for emergency vehicles on the side of the road with their emergency lights activated,” ISP Director Brendan F. Kelly said in a release.
“Despite this, we continue to see crashes, including deadly crashes, because someone refused to move over and slow down. To help end this reckless behavior, we want the public to know that if you fail to move over and slow down in Illinois, you will get a ticket. The days of receiving a warning are over. Move over or get pulled over.”
The fine for a Move Over Law violation is between $250-$10,000. If the violation results in the injury or death of another person, it’s a felony and driving privileges could be suspended up to two years, according to the release.
Since the beginning of 2019, ISP has suffered 71 Move Over Law injury crashes, including three troopers killed. There were hundreds more Move Over Law crashes over those years involving fire and IDOT vehicles, ambulances, tow trucks and others, according to the release.
“The main goal of the Move Over Law is to eliminate preventable crashes, injuries and deaths,” Acting Illinois Transportation Secretary Gia Biagi said in the release. “But the easiest way is to please slow down and give plenty of extra distance to people and vehicles on the side of the road. With your help, we can make our highways and streets safer for everyone.”
The Move Over Law is named Scott’s Law in Illinois in remembrance of Lieutenant Scott Gillen, of the Chicago Fire Department. Gillen was struck and killed by an intoxicated driver while assisting at a crash on the Dan Ryan Expressway.