Lake Zurich emergency responders urge drivers to follow Scott's Law

Representatives from Lake Zurich's emergency services departments released a video Wednesday to promote awareness of Scott's Law, which requires drivers to slow down and move over one lane if possible when passing stopped vehicles flashing emergency lights.

Officer Andrew Heer says that too often emergency responders are injured or killed by drivers who don't follow the rule, something the Lake Zurich Police Department knows well.

Last November, a village police officer was injured during a traffic stop when his car was rear-ended by a passing driver.

Lake Zurich police officer Denise Bradstreet said the crash could have been avoided if the driver had been aware of and had followed Scott's Law, also called the Move Over Law.

"I work on the afternoon shift when traffic can be at its busiest," Bradstreet said. "If you go out on Route 12, at any point you can watch traffic go around emergency vehicles and you can see that violation."

Heer said the law is named after Lt. Scott Gillen of the Chicago Fire Department, who was killed while assisting with a traffic crash in 2000.

Throughout the video, Heer is flanked by uniformed representatives of the Lake Zurich police and fire departments as well as Alpine Towing. Bradstreet said officials invited Alpine Towing to participate because drivers are required to follow Scott's Law when they move around tow trucks as well. The law also applies when passing stopped construction vehicles.

The officer who was injured in the November 2017 traffic stop was taken to Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital near Lake Barrington but was released after less than a day.

The video can be viewed on the village's YouTube page.