The CHIEF April 2019

BY CARSON GREGORY Cop Shop By Officer Enderli

You most likely will not be surprised to read this article focusing on Scott’s Law and distracted driving. This comes after a week of two Illinois State Troopers losing their lives in the line of duty, both involved in motor vehicle crashes, making three Troopers since January 1, 2019. Also known as the “Move Over” Law, Scott’s law was named after Lieutenant Scott Gillen, of the Chicago Fire Department, after he was struck and killed by an intoxicated driver while assisting at a crash. In short, upon approaching a stationary authorized emergency vehicle, you are required to 1) Proceed with due caution, 2) Change lanes if safe and possible to do so, and 3) Reduce your speed. “Authorized Emergency Vehicle” is defined as “any vehicle authorized by law to be equipped with oscillating, rotating, or flashing lights, while the owner or operator of the vehicle is engaged in his or her official duties. You can read the full statute on the Illinois General Assembly website, and search 625 ILCS 5/11-907. Since the beginning of this year, two Illinois State Troopers have been killed as a result of Scott’s Law violations: Trooper Christopher Lambert and Trooper Brooke Jones-Story. Sixteen ISP Troopers have been involved in motor vehicle crashes in the last three months. Violations of Scott’s Law can be punishable up to fines of $10,000 with the potential for a Driver’s License Suspension, dependent upon circumstances. Remember, the decisions you make effect more than just you. Unfortunately, three Illinois State Trooper’s families have been affected by a decision one person made. Do not be surprised to see an increase in distracted driving enforcement this month, as the month of April has been deemed National Distracted Driving Awareness Month. As a police officer, I can tell you there is never a shortage of people who drive while on their cell phones, even after the law was passed a few years ago. Of course, there is more to distracted driving than just using a cell phone. I have seen my fair share of disturbing distracted driving behaviors over the past years. Illinois Law states, “a person may not operate a motor vehicle on a roadway while using an electronic communication device.” There are some exceptions to this law, which include but not limited to a person reporting an emergency situation, a driver using a hands-free device (19 or older), or a driver parked on the shoulder of a roadway. Distracted driving, specifically cell phone usage, seems to be a rising primary cause of motor vehicle crashes. As a result of the on-going distracted driving issues, be prepared for a new law making a first offense of this section, 625 ILCS 5/12-610.2, a moving violation.

I hope you all enjoy the spring weather we are beginning to experience in Illinois, and remember to “Move Over and Slow Down” and “Hang up and Drive”.