A Knox County resident who started what became a national and worldwide social media-based movement testified in Springfield Thursday about what she says is the need to slow down and move over when emergency vehicles or even people just changing a tire are on the side of the road.
Lucy Kuelper started what simply was #MoveOver, now the Move Over Project, more than five years ago, hopeful that her state trooper father would always come home from work.
Since then, Kuelper says, quite the movement really moved.
“Five years, 50 states, five countries, and a 4.2 million post reach, I have been able to be a change-maker on an international level,” said Kuelper.
Kuelper was in Springfield at State Representative Dan Swanson’s invitation to testify about legislation the House will vote on to expand education of “Scott’s Law”.
“A man or a woman standing on the side of the road is someone’s mother, father, etc.,” said Kuelper. “That’s what kind of sets it apart, is the human connection, as well as educating the public that the law here in Illinois is to protect everyone, including citizens on the side of the road that could simply be changing a tire.”
Swanson’s measure was approved unanimously by the House Transportation Vehicles and Safety Committee, and comes after prosecutors in DeKalb County charged a semi truck driver with Reckless Homicide among other charges for the death of a DeKalb police officer.
