Move over: Crash victim shares importance of Scott's Law

[TowForce]

 

DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) — Last week, two Christian County Sheriff's Deputies pulled off a two-lane road to try to move livestock out of the roadway. While they were out of the car, a driver going over the speed limit hit one of their squad cars. All of the airbags went off and the car was totaled. Chief Deputy Jim Baker said if anyone had been in the car, they likely would have been seriously injured. 

"When you're on the roadway, you know, you're driving a heavy, dangerous piece of equipment that if you're not in control of that, you're going to be responsible for someone not going home," said Deputy Baker. "If you don't take the time to pay attention to your surroundings, or what's going on, you very well could be responsible for someone not going home safely at the end of the night."

Scott's Law, also known as the Move Over Law, says drivers must change lanes if possible, for any car with emergency lights on. Drivers must also slow down and proceed with caution. 

 

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The law doesn't just apply to police officers or firetrucks, it also applies to drivers like Chris Moore, who was hit on Interstate 72 in Macon County while loading a car into his tow truck. 

 

"I was loading the truck and somebody didn't move over, and they hit me," said Moore. "They hit my hip and turned me around and I was pinned and they ran over my legs ... I thought I was done. I didn't think I would survive." 

It took Moore two months to learn how to walk again. Even seven years later, he has to use a cane for balance and has constant pain in his legs. Moore has made it his mission to educate people about the Move Over Law.

His car is covered in logos that read, "Slow Down, Move Over, It's the Law." The different colors represent construction workers, police officers, tow truck drivers, fire fighters, the white line drivers need to pay attention to, and other first responders. 

"To put it simply, pay attention to what you're doing," said Moore. "That one text, that one second can change a person's life. I just ask people to start paying attention now because we all have someone to go home to at the end of the day." 

So far this year, the Illinois State Police say 6 troopers have been injured, and they've handled 14 Scott's Law related crashes.

 

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