Illinois State Senate District 26 issued the following announcement on July 29.
Gov. Pritzker signed legislation sponsored by State Senator Dan McConchie (R-Hawthorn Woods) on Tuesday, July 30, which seeks to reduce the amount of Scott’s Law violators. Scott’s Law states that drivers must move over, if possible, and slow down when approaching an emergency vehicle.
“The rapid increase just this year in those being hit or fatally killed is extremely concerning,” said Sen. McConchie. “We must properly educate drivers to slow down and move over when approaching emergency vehicles, highway maintenance, tow trucks or other vehicles and personnel on the side of the road.”
Senate Bill 2038 requires the Secretary of State to include at least one question in regard to Scott's Law on the written driving test and creates the Move Over Task Force to study the issue of violations of Scott's Law with attention to the causes of the violations and ways to protect law enforcement and emergency responders.
The task force will include a wide variety of officials including one legislator from each legislative caucus appointed by their leader. Senate Minority Leader Bill Brady has chosen Sen. McConchie to represent the Senate Republican Caucus on the task force.
“Sen. Dan McConchie has been a champion in the fight to ensure our hard-working law enforcement community remains safe on our roads,” said Senate Republican Leader Bill Brady. “His passion and commitment will make an excellent addition to this important task force.”
Senate Bill 2038 further expands on roadway safety by also requiring the Secretary of State’s Office to add information to its Illinois Rules of the Road guide on the “zipper merge” method, which many experts believe is the proper and most efficient way to merge multiple lanes of traffic. In the zipper merge method, drivers utilize both lanes until they reach the point that one lane narrows. Drivers then take turns merging with the other lane of traffic, creating a ‘zipper-like’ effect.
Sen. McConchie believes this method will keep traffic flowing, prevent backups, and promote increased safety.
Original source can be found here.
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