As I sat here this morning watching the State Funeral for Queen Elizabeth II, I noticed an interesting question show up in one of the Facebook groups I follow. Here is the graphic I saw;

Kathy Oberst via Facebook
Kathy Oberst via Facebook
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Upon reading that question I thought to myself; "do I/have I ever pulled over for a funeral procession while driving"? The answer I'm ashamed to admit is no, I don't think I have. After that realization I also wondered, am I just a jerk or am I actually breaking an Illinois law?

Do You Need to Pull Over for Funeral Processions in Illinois?

The short answer is no. Illinois law does not require you to pull over upon encountering a funeral procession, but doing so is a gesture of respect for the deceased's grieving family and friends.

So, what does Illinois law cover when it comes to funeral processions? Here is some clarification from the Illinois General Assembly;

Funeral processions have the right-of-way at intersections when vehicles comprising such procession have their headlights and hazard lights lighted.

 

In the absence of law enforcement traffic control assistance for a funeral procession, a funeral director or his or her designee may direct traffic during a funeral procession.

What Not to Do When Encountering a Funeral Procession

While pulling over for funeral processions might not be a law in Illinois, pulling into a funeral procession definitely is an unlawful thing to do. According to Illinois law, the only time a driver can pull into a funeral procession is when they are specifically directed to by a traffic officer or are driving an emergency vehicle like a fire truck, police car, or ambulance.

FYI, some states do have laws that require drivers to pull over when encountering a funeral procession, so if you are driving out of state soon, you might want to brush up on that state's particular traffic laws...just to be safe.

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