DRIVERS could face significant fines in 2025 under an expanded “move over” law coming into force in January.

The new rules will take effect from New Year’s Day and will affect upwards of 8 million motorists.

GettyIllinois has broadened its ‘move over’ law[/caption]

Facebook/@Celina VillanuevaThe bill, introduced by Sen Celine Villanueva, comes into effect on January 1[/caption]

Pretty much every state has some form of “move over” law on the statute book.

These require drivers to pull to one side in specific circumstances.

They are usually used to prevent road users from blocking the progress of emergency vehicles and carry severe penalties if ignored.

But drivers using Illinois roads will soon be subject to an even more stringent set of requirements.

The state legislature has passed a bill introduced by Illinois Sen. Celina Villanueva which will extend the rules, known in the state as Scott’s Law, to protect construction workers.

Drivers will now be required to change lanes when approaching stationary vehicles with its hazard lights on within a work zone.

This includes but is not limited to, maintenance vehicles and emergency vehicles.

Motorists must also reduce their speed and avoid the lane adjacent to the construction site where possible.

Where it isn’t possible to move over, drivers must “proceed with due caution” and leave a safe distance until they are clear of the zone.

Failing to do so can result in fines of up to $10,250.

The law passed both houses of the legislature back in July.

However, it will only be implemented on January 1, 2025.

Latest official figures show that there are 8.3 million drivers in the state who are set to be impacted by the change.

Sen. Villanueva said: “Expanding Scott’s Law to include construction zones is essential to ensuring the safety of workers and drivers alike.

“By prioritizing this preventative law we are instituting safeguard for the lives of everyone involved.

“The clarification in the language of the law allows everyone to have a more clear understanding of when Scott’s Law should be followed and enforced.

“We were able to recognize the proximity to possible hazards drivers, emergency responders, and those who work in construction and maintenance zones could encounter and make a preventative step to ensure everyone’s safety.”

It comes after Colorado drivers were reminded of similar measures in force in the state.

A crash involving an official vehicle responding to a fatal accident prompted the local DOT to warn of $150 fines.

Sam Cole, a Traffic Safety Manager at the department, said: “A lot of these crashes that we see on the roads are what is are known as secondary crashes where somebody crashes into a crash scene because they are not paying attention or driving too fast.”

https://www.the-sun.com/motors/13152383/drivers-risk-fines-new-2025-law-move-over/