Drivers could face hefty fines in 2025 under an expanded 'transportation' law that will come into force in January.
The new rules will come into effect from New Year's Day and will affect more than 8 million motorists.
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Pretty much every state has some form of “transfer” law on its statute book.
These require drivers to pull to one side in specific circumstances.
They are typically used to prevent road users from obstructing the progress of emergency vehicles and carry severe penalties if ignored.
But drivers using Illinois roads will soon be subject to a tougher set of requirements.
The state Legislature has passed a bill introduced by Illinois Sen. Selena Villanueva that would expand the rules, known in the state as Scott's Law, to protect construction workers.
Drivers will now be required to change lanes when approaching parked vehicles with hazard lights on within the work zone.
This includes, but is not limited to, maintenance vehicles and emergency vehicles.
Motorists should also reduce their speed and avoid the lane adjacent to the construction site where possible.
When it is not possible to move, drivers must “proceed with due caution” and leave a safe distance until they leave the area.
Failure to do so could result in fines of up to $10,250.
The law was passed by both chambers of the legislature in July.
However, it will only be implemented on January 1, 2025.
Latest official figures show there are 8.3 million drivers in the state set to be affected by the change.
“Expanding Scott’s Law to construction zones is essential to ensure the safety of workers and drivers alike,” Senator Villanueva said.
“By prioritizing this preventive law, we are establishing protections for the lives of everyone involved.
“Clarification in the language of the law allows everyone to have a clearer understanding of when Scott’s Law must be followed and enforced.
“We were able to identify proximity to potential hazards that drivers, emergency responders and those working in construction and maintenance areas could face and take a preventive step to ensure everyone’s safety.”
This comes after Colorado drivers were reminded of similar measures in place in the state.
A crash involving an official vehicle responding to a fatal accident has prompted the local Department of Transportation to warn of $150 fines.
“A lot of these accidents we see on the roads are what are known as secondary accidents where someone crashes at the scene because they're not paying attention or driving too fast,” said Sam Cole, the department's traffic safety director. “.
