State Announces Initiative to Warn Drivers to Move Over to Avoid Stopped Vehicle Accidents
Partnership with Google and Waze
Illinois has announced a partnership with Google and Waze on an initiative to encourage drivers to move over to avoid crashes sparked by stopped vehicles. The program allows Illinois State Police to send notifications via Waze about upcoming crashes or maintenance issues on the road to let drivers know to get out of the way ahead of time.
Preventing Crashes and Enforcing “Scott’s Law”
Failure to move over in time can cause crashes that typically endanger state police, first responders, and highway maintenance workers stationed on roadsides. The program aims to prevent drivers from breaking “Scott’s Law,” which requires drivers to slow down and move over when a law enforcement or emergency responder vehicle is pulled over on the side of the road.
A Law Named After a Tragic Incident
The law was named after Scott Gillen, a Chicago firefighter who was killed in 2000 after a driver struck him while he was responding to a car crash on the Dan Ryan Expressway. The program is also a tribute to two state troopers, Brooke Jones-Story and Christopher Lambert, who were killed in 2019 while working roadside during the governor’s first term.
Technology and Implementation
Since the project began in December 2023, it has already reached 3 million drivers, according to Sanjay Gupta, the state’s chief information officer and secretary of the Illinois Department of Innovation and Technology. The program is starting on Waze, a subsidiary of Google, but will soon be used on Google Maps as well. The goal is to have this technology available on other navigation apps as well.
Conclusion
The initiative is designed to be a preventive measure to empower drivers with information ahead of time to avoid crashes and obey the law. With the technology already reaching millions of drivers, it is hoped that this program will make a significant impact in reducing the number of accidents caused by stopped vehicles.
FAQs
Q: What is the purpose of the initiative?
A: The initiative aims to encourage drivers to move over to avoid crashes sparked by stopped vehicles and to prevent drivers from breaking “Scott’s Law.”
Q: How does the program work?
A: The program allows Illinois State Police to send notifications via Waze about upcoming crashes or maintenance issues on the road to let drivers know to get out of the way ahead of time.
Q: Will the program be available on other navigation apps?
A: Yes, the goal is to have this technology available on other navigation apps as well, not just Google platforms.
Q: When did the project begin?
A: The project began in December 2023.
