Twenty-five years ago, a tragic incident on the Dan Ryan Expressway claimed the life of Chicago Fire Department Lieutenant Scott Gillen. This somber anniversary was observed on Tuesday.

The incident led to the creation of Scott’s Law, a regulation mandating that drivers must move over to ensure the safety of emergency responders.

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Tuesday marked Scott’s Law Day in Illinois. In commemoration, Truck Company 27 and the Chicago Fire Department held a special ceremony to honor the milestone of Scott’s untimely passing.

“His legacy continues to save lives, which was always his greatest wish,” remarked Don Gillen, Scott’s brother, reflecting on the impact of Scott’s Law.

It has been a quarter-century since that fateful day on December 23, 2000, when an intoxicated driver tragically struck Scott as he was attending to an emergency on the highway.

Scott’s older brother, Matt Gillen, who was also on the job back then, remembers hearing the distress call.

“So, I was waiting to hear something, like, ‘Come on Scott, come on Scott, respond,’ and he didn’t respond, and that’s when we heard a fireman was hit and down,” he said.

Scott’s Law requires all drivers to slow down and move over when approaching an emergency vehicle or any vehicle with its emergency or hazard lights activated. Then-Illinois Gov. George Ryan signed the law in August 2001.

Since then, the Move Over Law has been strengthened, increasing fines up to $10,000 and adding penalties of possible license suspension and felony charges. It also now includes construction zones, along with emergency or roadside vehicles.

According to Illinois State Police, in 2024, the most recent year data is available, there were 135 reported Scott’s Law violations, which resulted in 27 crashes, injuring 12 ISP troopers and killing one trooper.

Trooper Clay Carns was killed on the 24th anniversary of the incident that led to Scott’s Law.

The 35-year-old husband and father of two was hit by a passing motorist on southbound Interstate 55 near Channahon as he removed debris from the roadway.

John Fleet, the driver charged in the crash, heads back to court next month.

“Respect first responders, our police, our state troopers, our firefighters and paramedics because they want to go home to their families too,” said CFD Commissioner Annette Nance-Holt.

People at Tuesday’s small ceremony say it is important not to forget the loss of Scott Gillen, but it is also important to honor the legacy his sacrifice creates for the future.

They hope awareness about the law will grow in order to save more lives.