Available 
Blue Island, IL (June 29, 2026) – One person died, and an IDOT worker was hurt after a vehicle struck two stopped vehicles on Interstate 57 northbound near 127th Street early on Saturday morning, June 27. The collision was reported at approximately 4:46 a.m.
A passenger vehicle and an Illinois Department of Transportation SUV had been involved in a prior crash and pulled onto the left shoulder. While stopped there, a third vehicle struck both of them.
One person was taken to an area hospital, where they were pronounced dead. The IDOT worker sustained non-life-threatening injuries.
Both northbound lanes were shut down while investigators worked the scene, with traffic moving past on the right shoulder. No further details about those involved in the wreck were available at the time of publication. The accident remains under active review.
We extend our condolences to the family of the person who lost their life.
What Makes Highway Shoulder Crashes So Dangerous?
Stopped vehicles on highway shoulders face a significant risk of being struck by passing traffic, particularly in low-light conditions when drivers may not see them in time to react. At highway speeds, a driver who notices a stopped vehicle too late may have only a fraction of a second to change lanes or brake. This limited reaction time is one of the main reasons shoulder crashes can be so severe.
Road workers and transportation department personnel who stop on or near highways to respond to prior crashes face elevated danger. Many states have move-over laws requiring drivers to shift away from stopped vehicles with flashing lights, but enforcement and driver awareness of these laws can vary. The presence of emergency lighting is not always enough to prevent a secondary crash.
Secondary crashes, where a vehicle strikes others already stopped from a prior collision, are a recognized pattern in highway safety research. Investigators reviewing these cases look at visibility conditions, vehicle speed, and whether any warning devices like flares or cones had been deployed before the second impact occurred.
