Roadway Safety
Roadway Safety
It's Everyone's Responsibility.
Safety is always a top priority as the Illinois Tollway continuously explores ways to develop and promote better roadway safety from project planning and construction to roadway operations.
The lives of the Tollway’s customers and employees depend on it.
Maintenance workers, H.E.L.P. truck drivers and construction contractors risk their lives every day. Unfortunately, not all drivers recognize the impact that their decisions and actions on the road can have on others.
It is for this reason the Illinois Tollway launches initiative after initiative to promote roadway safety, enhance the highway system and educate the public on the law and best practices of driving.
Tollway Tykes
KEEP KIDS SAFE, EVERY TRIP, EVERY TIME
Our Tollway Tykes team helps keep children safe and parents worry-free. Our Tollway Tykes Team participates in events throughout the 12 counties that we serve. These events may include:
- Free child safety seat inspections and installations and free safety identification cards for children ages 3 and older.
- Touch-a-truck display featuring hands-on exploration of a Tollway H.E.L.P. truck, snowplow and emergency vehicles from local police and fire departments.
- HELP Truck Hank, a talking, child-sized vehicle that offers simple safety tips to toddlers and young children.
Work Zone Safety
The Illinois Tollway is committed to ensuring that its work zones remain safe for both drivers and workers during construction. For the 2025 construction season, the Tollway is joining the Illinois Department of Transportation and the Illinois State Police to remind drivers to be attentive and use extra caution while traveling through work zones.
Each year, we prioritize informing our customers that work zone safety affects drivers as well as construction workers. Illinois has recorded 170 deaths in work zone crashes between 2019 and 2024, however, only 11 of those deaths involved construction workers. Statistics from the National Work Zone Safety Information Clearinghouse show there were 821 fatal crashes in work zones nationwide in 2022, resulting in 891 deaths. Of those who lost their lives, 31 were workers while the rest of those killed were motorists, passengers and pedestrians.
It is critical for everyone to do their part to maintain safe work zones because every life matters.
To drive home that message, the Tollway and our partner agencies continue to remind motorists of the vital role they play in improving work zone safety: "Respect the zone so we all get home." #Orange4Safety
2025 National Work Zone Awareness
National Work Zone Awareness Week brings national attention to motorist and worker safety in work zones across the country. This year’s campaign, "Respect the zone so we all get home." reminds drivers to use extra caution in work zones to keep everyone safe. As roadways are maintained and upgraded, it is important for drivers to help provide a safe environment and exhibit safe driving habits through highway work zones.
The Illinois Tollway is proud of its commitment to safety and is a partner in the National Work Zone Awareness Week effort. #NWZAW #Orange4Safety
National Work Zone Awareness Week Resources:
Drop It and Drive
Using an electronic communication device at any time while driving in Illinois is a moving violation, including if the vehicle is stopped at a traffic signal.
A phone in one hand, means a ticket in the other.
The fine for a first offense is a maximum of $75, $100 for a second offense, $125 for a third offense and $150 for a fourth or subsequent offense. Drivers with three or more moving violations within a 12-month period risk suspension of their driver’s license.
Give Them Distance
Illinois’ Move Over Law requires drivers to slow down, move over and change lanes, if possible, to make extra room when approaching ANY vehicle with lights flashing, stopped on a roadway.
‘Give Them Distance’ is a collaborative campaign in Illinois intended to expand awareness of the importance of this law, and the Illinois Tollway, along with transportation, safety and government leaders, continues to work to raise awareness.
Initially signed into law as Scott’s Law in 2002, today, the Move Over Law is intended to protect first responders and roadway workers, as well as any driver who may be stopped on the side of the road. And, penalties for ignoring the law have been increased to a minimum fine of $250 for a first-time violation and $750 for subsequent violations as further deterrent.
