For Illinois State Police, winter storm made a dangerous job more dangerous
The snow and ice that blew through the St. Louis area and across Illinois made a dangerous job for Illinois’ first responders even more dangerous.
Winter Storm Landon bombarded Illinois highways and streets with snow and ice created additional hazards for law enforcement officers trying to assist those that were stuck and for clean up crews trying to clear the highways.
Trooper Josh Korando, Public Information Officer for the Illinois State Police District 11, said troopers assisted or serviced approximately 143 motorists within a 29-hour period from Feb.2 to Feb.3 in the metro-east. During that same period, state troopers handled 24 crashes, three of which included injuries, none of which were life-threatening.
Three crashes in Illinois involved state police vehicles.
According to a release, the state police investigated three separate crashes involving ISP squad cars on Feb. 3, with two troopers from District 10 in Pesotum and the other one in Lockport, which is in District 5.During one incident in Pesotum, a tractor-trailer sideswiped an ISP squad car as the trooper was handling a crash on an interstate at around 2 a.m.
In another near Naperville, an ISP cruiser was struck from behind while the trooper was conducting traffic control for a tow truck.
A third incident involved an unlicensed driver who rear-ended a moving cruiser on I-74.
All three of the offending drivers were cited for violations of Scott’s Law, commonly known as the Move Over Law, which requires that all motorists move when encountering stopped or disabled vehicles displaying warning lights.
“It’s dangerous enough for troopers to be on the highway during fair weather, but it’s exponentially more dangerous during a snowstorm. We would like to remind people to please slow down and move over when they see emergency lights,” Korando said. “No matter if it’s police, fire, EMS, tow trucks, or even just a car with it’s hazard lights activated on the side of the road. Slow down as much as you possibly can and move over if at all possible.”
Officers are advising drivers when approaching an emergency vehicle, or any vehicle with its emergency or hazard lights activated, to slow down and move over.
Any person who violates Scott’s Law, commits a business offense and faces a fine of no less than $250 or more than $10,000 for the first offense. If the violation results in injury to another person, the violator’s driver license will be suspended for a mandatory period of anywhere between six months and two years, according to officials from the Illinois State Police.