Illinois Tollway Reminds Parents of Importance Of Child Safety Seats Ahead of Memorial Day Weekend Travel
With Memorial Day weekend and the summer travel season approaching, the Illinois Tollway and Illinois State Police Troop 15 are urging parents to protect their children by checking safety seats to ensure they are correctly installed in their vehicles.
This year, the Illinois Tollway expects nearly 8 million vehicles to kick off the summer travel season and drive the Tollway system during the Memorial Day weekend from Friday, May 26, through Tuesday, May 30. The busiest day is expected to be Friday, when an estimated 1.8 million drivers will use the Tollway system.
To assist parents and caregivers in keeping children safe while traveling this summer, the Tollway and
Illinois State Police are launching their annual Kids Identification and Safety Seat (K.I.S.S.) events offering free child safety seat inspections and installations.
“Safety is our top priority and we are committed to doing everything we can to help parents protect their children while they’re traveling on our roads,” said Illinois Tollway Executive Director Cassaundra
Rouse. “At our free K.I.S.S. events, parents can have their children’s safety seats inspected or installed
to ensure their children are traveling safely.”
Correctly installed child safety seats save lives and significantly reduce injuries in the event of a crash.
Yet, Illinois State Police find that as many as 90 percent of child safety seats they inspect are improperly installed.
This year, six K.I.S.S. events are planned across the Chicago area. Visit the Troop 15 section on the
Illinois Tollway’s website to view the schedule.
“Keeping younger children safe when they’re riding in a car starts with making sure kids are secured in an appropriately sized, properly installed safety seat,” said Captain Linda Mandat, Troop 15
Commander. “We’re pleased to offer these seat inspections and installations at our K.I.S.S events to
give parents the satisfaction of knowing their children are protected.”
14 Days to Pay Tolls
Customers have 14 days from their initial date of travel to pay their tolls on the Illinois Tollway to ensure avoiding fines and fees. Drivers have the option to pay tolls with I-PASS, E-ZPass or pay online with the Tollway’s Pay By Plate service. And for those who need financial assistance, the Tollway has
enhanced its I-PASS Assist program.
With the Official Illinois Tollway App, drivers can or enroll and manage their I-PASS accounts or Pay By Plate service directly from their smartphone. The app even allows customers who need help to call for roadside assistance with the touch of a button.
Dial *999 for Roadway Assistance
Drivers should call *999 to get help from Tollway roadway maintenance crews or from Illinois State
Police District 15 who patrol the Tollway system 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The Highway
Emergency Lane Patrol (H.E.L.P.) supported by GEICO is also available to assist drivers 4 a.m. to 8
p.m. Monday through Friday. The Tollway’s motorist aid patrols stand ready to help stranded customers change tires, jump-start batteries, add coolant, dispense fuel, transport customers, move vehicles away from traffic and call for a tow truck.
Holiday Work Zones
To accommodate holiday travel on the Illinois Tollway, construction activity will be restricted to better
serve Tollway customers. Most temporary maintenance and construction lane closures will be
suspended from noon on Friday, May 26, through 9 a.m. on Tuesday, May 30. Some work may
continue behind barriers to keep work on schedule. All work is weather-dependent.
Areas where ongoing work zones may impact traffic include:
Tri-State Tollway (I-94/I-294/I-80)
- On I-294 between the O’Hare Oasis and 75th Street, traffic shifts in both directions with counterflow lanes throughout the Central Tri-State corridor. Watch for signage indicating changing traffic patterns.
- On I-294, the ramps from westbound I-290 to northbound I-294, from northbound I-294 to westbound Roosevelt Road and westbound Roosevelt Road to southbound I-294 are closed and detours are posted.
Illinois State Police Out in Full Force
Illinois State Police Troop 15 will be conducting several roadside safety details and special Traffic
Enforcement Patrols over the Memorial Day weekend throughout the Tollway system. Troopers
patrolling the Tollway will also focus on enforcing fatal four violations, including driving under the
influence, speeding, distracted driving and not wearing seat belts. In addition, they will be stepping up enforcement of the Move Over Law, also known as Scott’s Law, which requires motorists to change lanes or slow down and proceed with caution when passing any vehicle on the side of the road with hazard lights activated
About the Illinois Tollway
The Illinois Tollway is a user-fee system that receives no state or federal funds for maintenance and
operations. The agency maintains and operates 294 miles of roadways in 12 counties in Northern
Illinois, including the Reagan Memorial Tollway (I-88), the Veterans Memorial Tollway (I-355), the Jane
Addams Memorial Tollway (I-90), the Tri-State Tollway (I-94/I-294/I-80) and the Illinois Route 390
Tollway.