‘Slow Roll’ Protest Scheduled For I-294 Friday Morning

ILLINOIS — The Illinois State Police is alerting drivers Friday morning to a planned “slow roll.” The event, according to Illinois State Police, is where a group of truck drivers plan to drive slowly on the Tri-State, causing traffic delays and potential crashes.

The Chicago Sun-Times reports the slow roll is being organized by a group called Black Smoke Matters and will involve at least 15 truck drivers who are hoping to bring attention to regulation in their industry. The group plans to leave south suburban Monee at 10 a.m. Friday and drive to downtown Chicago and then back to Monee.

The truckers will drive single file in the right lane at the minimum posted speed limit, Daniel Dorris, an organizer of the group Black Smoke Matters, told the Chicago Sun-Times. They will pass the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Center in Matteson, and Trump Tower in downtown Chicago.

“The Illinois State Police urges all motorists to abide by traffic laws for the safety of all. Traffic backups are a significant contributing cause of traffic crashes, which lead to property damage, personal injury, and possibly death,” ISP District 15 Acting Captain Dominic Chiappini said. “Though the Illinois State Police respects the rights of citizens to express their opinions in a lawful manner, any planned event designed to intentionally impede normal traffic flow is dangerous to the innocent motoring public.”

He also said those participating in the event could potentially be held liable for traffic crashes occurring as a result of their actions.

Dorris said there have been no accidents during other slow rolls held in the past six months across the U.S.

More via the Chicago Sun-Times