ILLINOIS (WREX) � 2021 is off to a disturbing pace when it comes to Scott’s Law crashes. In less than two months, 10 ISP troopers saw their cars get his if not totaled due to people not slowing down and moving over leaving one trooper fighting for his life.
The worst year on record for Scott’s Law crashes was 2019 with 27 crashes. With 2021 on pace to soar past that record, ISP troopers are speaking out about their experiences with Scott’s Law including the close friends they’ve lost.
Trooper Josh Korando of District 11 has lost two friends from his class to Scott’s Law crashes.
“You spend six month of your life living with these people, they’re part of your life,� Korando said.
Scott’s Law has been law throughout Korando’s 13 years with ISP, but it still baffles him how people aren’t paying attention and moving over for emergency vehicles.
“You think it would be common sense by now,� Korando said. “The weather isn’t an excuse. Give yourself extra time and go slow. The weather might be bad, but there are thousands of cars driving and not crashing into each because they’re driving slow and not driving distracted. I’ve had way too many hospital visits and been to way too many funerals in my 13 years. It’s for senseless things like somebody not moving over or looking at their phone when they’re driving on the road.�
Acting Lieutenant Heather Hansen at ISP District 16 was at the crash in 2002 that created Scott’s Law. Despite nearly two decades of trying to bring awareness, Hansen is still getting calls like the one she got on February 13.
“My trooper was out changing a tire for a woman coming home from her midnight shift,� Hansen said. “He’s just out there doing a good deed, and that’s when his squad car gets hit.�
An ISP District 16 vehicle after being struck by a suspected drunk driver in one of Illinois� 10 Scott’s Law crashes in 2021
, but it brings up a larger issue to Hansen.
“This (my squad car) is my office,� Hansen said. “Imagine if someone drove through your office at 20 miles an hour. Now think about that at 45, 60, 70 miles per hour. They don’t even slow down for us sometimes.�
Beyond that, Hansen’s role as a supervisor gives her a weight to make sure everyone she oversees makes it home to their families each night, but she needs the help of ever driver staying vigilant and moving over for emergency vehicles and any vehicles to the side of the road with their hazard lights on.
ISP is also enforcing Scott’s Law more strictly after the recent series of crashes. They’ve already handed out 194 citations to Scott’s Law violators this year and have posted a set of .
