CHICAGO — As a major winter storm threatens to blanket parts of Illinois, Indiana and Iowa with heavy snow and slick roads this weekend, emergency officials are reminding drivers about an important safety sign: yellow caution tape on stranded vehicles.
If you see a car or truck on the side of the road wrapped in yellow tape, it’s not being ignored — it’s a signal that first responders have already checked it. Police, firefighters, or rescue crews use the tape to mark vehicles that have been searched to confirm they’re empty or that any occupants have already received assistance.
Officials say the system helps prevent duplicate welfare checks during dangerous conditions when visibility and response times are limited.
“Once a vehicle is marked, it means emergency crews have done their job and ensured no one’s inside,” local emergency management agencies said in advisories issued Friday. “The vehicle will remain until weather conditions allow for safe towing.”
Authorities stress that drivers should never remove caution tape or stop to investigate taped vehicles. Unless a car is posing an immediate hazard, it will be cleared once roads and visibility improve.
With travel expected to deteriorate as snow and ice move in late Friday into Saturday, officials across the region urge residents to avoid unnecessary driving, slow down, and check 511 or local DOT apps for updated road conditions.
For stranded drivers, stay with your vehicle, keep your exhaust pipe clear of snow, and wait for help — you might see that yellow tape before long.
