CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- The Illinois Tollway system is providing more help for motorists who may find themselves stranded over the next few days of frigid weather.
The Illinois Tollway is deploying a minimum of 12, around-the-clock Zero Weather Road Patrols to more quickly locate and assist customers, whether they’ve run out of gas or had a flat tire, on the tollway system during the cold weather and dangerous wind chills forecast to continue into the weekend.
The Illinois Tollway typically operates Zero Weather Road Patrols whenever temperatures or sustained wind chills fall below zero degrees to bolster the roadway assistance already provided by the Illinois Tollway’s Highway Emergency Lane Patrol (H.E.L.P.) trucks and the Illinois State Police.
The 24-hour Zero Weather Road Patrols search for drivers stranded in disabled vehicles and also respond to calls that come in to *999 motorist assistance, Illinois Tollway dispatch or Illinois State Police District 15.
“We’re putting additional crews out on our roads during this dangerously cold weather to more rapidly assist and better protect customers who become stranded or need help,” said Illinois Tollway Executive Director José Alvarez, in a statement. “Safety is our highest priority, and during these extreme conditions we are taking this step to provide an additional layer of safety for drivers traveling on our system.”
Drivers who becomes stranded along the Tollway system should dial *999 for assistance and remain in their vehicle until help arrives.
The Zero Weather Road Patrols consist of crew cab trucks equipped with arrow boards for directing traffic around accidents or stranded vehicles and accommodate passengers if motorists need to be transported to a tollway maintenance garage, toll plaza or tollway oasis while service is obtained.
In order to guard against the spread of COVID-19, HELP trucks and the Zero Weather Road Patrol vehicles have glass partitions that separate the front and back seats, to help keep customers and drivers safe. Those vehicles also carry masks and hand sanitizer as additional precautions against COVID-19.
The tollway said the best ways to avoid needing emergency help: keep your gas tank at least half full and make sure your tires are properly inflated. Officials suggest you also keep your phone fully charged and to keep a kit in your vehicle that includes blankets, road flares, water and a flashlight with fresh batteries.
As a reminder, stranded motorists should turn on their emergency lights and remain in their vehicles until help arrives.
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