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Are you following Scott’s Law?

Posted By Legal Team | March 16 2021 | Firm News, Motor Vehicle Accidents

When other Illinois drivers make poor choices while behind the wheel, innocent people can suffer. This includes drivers and passengers as well as others outside of the vehicle, such as first responders and road workers who are near the road. As noted by our injury lawyers in Chicago, you may be someone impacted by negligence or recklessness, and you know how important it is for all motorists to be as safe as reasonably possible.

This means following the rules of the road and laws, including Scott’s Law. This legislation passed a year ago, making it mandatory for drivers to move over for emergency vehicles and responders. The intent of this law is to get people to drive slower and move to another lane when emergency vehicles are responding to an event and are parked on the side of the road.

Details of the law

Scott’s Law is a statute that mandates drivers to move over for emergency vehicles. It actually includes any vehicle that has flashing lights that is on the side of the road assisting a motorist, such as a tow truck. This law came to be after a firefighter lost his life while assisting a motorist on the side of the road after an accident. The driver responsible was drunk at the time of the crash.

Over the last year, there have been fewer drivers on the road, but safety is still a concern. The men and women who work in roles that require them to respond to roadside incidents are especially vulnerable to reckless driving, even during times when the overall number of traffic accidents is down. Because of many factors that now contribute to distracted driving, individuals are more likely to be looking at their phones, something that can be very dangerous to emergency workers.

After an accident

No matter how the accident occurred, if you are the victim of a reckless or negligent driver, you have legal options, just ask a Chicago accident lawyer. It is possible you could have grounds to pursue compensation through a civil claim. These cases are time sensitive, and it is beneficial to explore this option after a collision.

Distraction, speeding, and other dangerous behaviors put the well-being of emergency workers and other motorists at risk every day. The Illinois civil justice system allows victims and families to recoup their financial losses and secure damages for their non-economic losses.

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