This semi driver hauling a heavy load nearly sent this Hyundai driver to the hospital after their hare-brained move almost caused a devastating rear-end collision.
Big Rig Heavy hauler and Redditor /u/Cezar__2 shared headshaking dashcam footage from Sagamon County from earlier in May (May 10, 2026) to the /r/IdiotsInCars subreddit showing a driver in a Hyundai Sonata, confused about their own lane, unncessarily almost coming to a complete stop on I-55, almost causing OP to rear end them, coming within millmeters of doing so.
Check out /u/Cezar__2’s dashcam footage below with the original Reddit thread linked here.
The incident happened on I-55 just before Exit 109 towards U.S. Route 66/IL-123 (Exact location on Google Maps linked here.)
As the dashcam shows, OP is headed southbound on the 55.
Not without warning, the three-lane interstate narrows to two, aided by traffic barrels that gradually end the rightmost lane over about a 1/8th mile.
A driver in a white Hyundai Sonata in front of OP wrongly assumed they’d lose another lane, causing them to try to suddenly change lanes, except, in doing so, they almost came to a complete stop.
To be fair, contrasting road repair markings next to white lane markings, I can see where that driver might’ve been confused.
OP has to emergency brake to avoid rear-ending them, which, presumably with a heavy load, would’ve been catastrophic.
OP has to swerve into the middle of the interstate, causing drivers around them to go into the emergency shoulder.
OP avoids rear-ending the ignorant Hyundai driver by inches… millimeters even.
Thankfully, he does avoid hitting them, whether the Hyundai driver realized it or not.
The Hyundai driver realizes their lane is, in fact, not ending, at which point we see them obliviously continuing.
Why the he** did bro come to a complete stop in the middle of the freeway???? It looks like he misread the lane routing and thought his lane ended and needed to merge,” /u/Sho0t2Ki** wondered.
“If you watch the roads and not the cars, it does look like his lane just merges over that dark line, which will confuse someone,” /u/Life-Profesional222 replied.
“That’s wild. And at 8 seconds, the 2nd black car in the left-hand lane also doesn’t spot the new temporary layout, and almost drives into the right-hand lane,” /u/ProffessorUnhappy5997 points out.
In Illinois, almost coming to a complete stop on an interstate (like I-55) because of confusion with lane markings can be cited under improper driving behavior, typically as improper lane usage or driving too slowly for conditions rather than a specific “stopping on the interstate” violation. Fines for improper lane usage in Illinois are generally around $120–$250+ total after court costs, and it can also add traffic violation points (typically 20 points) to your driving record. If the maneuver is deemed to have created a safety hazard, it could escalate to a more serious citation like reckless driving, which carries higher fines and potential license consequences.
It would behoove Illinois ‘ DOT to reevaluate how confusing the contrasting road repair markings next to white lane markings can be.
