Crash Reports // Illinois State Police
April 20, 2025 – The Illinois State Police and Illinois Department of Transportation are increasing efforts to enforce Scott’s Law, also known as the Move Over Law, which requires drivers to slow down and change lanes when approaching any stationary emergency vehicle with flashing lights.
Drivers must move over and reduce speed. If moving over is not safe or possible, motorists must slow to a safe speed, proceed with caution, and be ready to stop if needed.
“We’ve all heard it, move over and slow down for emergency vehicles on the side of the road with their emergency lights activated. 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,” said Brendan F. Kelly, Director of the Illinois State Police.
The law applies to police vehicles, ambulances, fire trucks, IDOT Emergency Traffic Patrol vehicles, tow trucks, and other authorized vehicles with flashing or rotating lights. Drivers are also encouraged to move over for any vehicle stopped with emergency or hazard lights.
“The main goal of the Move Over Law is to eliminate preventable crashes, injuries and deaths. Please slow down and give 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,” said Gia Biagi, Acting Secretary of the Illinois Department of Transportation.
To improve compliance, ISP is working with Google Public Sector and HAAS Alert to provide in-app warnings through services like Google Maps, Waze, and certain vehicle infotainment systems, including those in Chrysler, Jeep, RAM, Dodge, Mercedes-Benz, and Volkswagen vehicles.
Violations of Scott’s Law carry a fine between $250 and $10,000. If a violation causes injury or death, it becomes a felony and may result in a suspended driver’s license for up to two years.
In 2025 alone, ISP has already reported five move-over crashes with four troopers injured. Since 2019, 71 troopers have been injured and three killed in Move Over Law crashes. Additional crashes have involved fire personnel, IDOT staff, EMS, and tow operators.
Scott’s Law is named in honor of Lieutenant Scott Gillen of the Chicago Fire Department, who was killed by a drunk driver while assisting at a crash scene on the Dan Ryan Expressway.
