State Representative Daniel Swanson (IL) | Representative Dan Swanson (R) 71st District
State Representative Daniel Swanson (IL) | Representative Dan Swanson (R) 71st District
Illinois state law mandates that motorists move over or slow down when they see an emergency vehicle on the roadside with its lights activated. The legislation, known as "Scott's Law," was enacted in memory of Scott Gillen, a Chicago firefighter who was killed by a drunk driver while responding to an accident on the side of an expressway.
Despite this law, many drivers fail to comply. Last weekend, another Illinois State Trooper was injured due to a driver's negligence. At 2:20 a.m. on Saturday, the trooper's car was parked with its emergency lights flashing when it was struck from behind by another vehicle. The driver has been cited for violating Scott's Law. Both the trooper and the occupants of the other vehicle were taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
This incident marks the 17th crash involving a State Police car in Illinois this year and is the eighth time a trooper has been injured. Earlier this summer, legislation aimed at better educating drivers about Scott's Law was signed into effect by the Governor.
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