When you’re traveling, one thing that you keep in mind is that any time you see emergency lights, you need to move over. This is done for a few reasons, but the primary one is to give the authorities or emergency teams room to get through or to work.
One thing you’ll see a lot on highways is a state trooper who has pulled someone over. That trooper then has to walk up to the other person’s vehicle, which exposes them to being hit by drivers who aren’t paying attention.
That’s what may have happened on Dec. 15 when an Illinois State Police (ISP) trooper was struck while assisting a driver. This marked the 27th ISP car hit in 2019. Thankfully, no officer was injured in the crash. However, crashing into a police vehicle is a violation of Scott’s Law, which requires others to yield to emergency vehicles.
This trooper was lucky, but others have not been. In 2019, four were killed in crashes like this. The ISP reported that over 6,000 citations have been given out this year to drivers who failed to yield.
No matter where you are, if you see flashing lights, it’s best to move out of the way or to move over a lane. These people work hard to protect everyone, so it’s only fair to give them the space they need to work. If you are hit because someone fails to move over for an officer, ambulance, fire truck or other authority, you may be able to file a claim against them. An experienced attorney can provide guidance.
