Enter Illinois from St. Louis to East St. Louis, Dubuque to East Dubuque, or anywhere from from Wisconsin and it’s night and day. The roads and atmosphere change at the state line.
Not me! I'd seen National Lampoon's Vacation, where the Griswolds stopped in East St. Louis. I told my son and grandson why we didn't stop: it was very possible that one or more bad guys were hiding in the back seat, just waiting for someone to stop.
From what I observed, no other cars stopped, either.
In a way, I felt bad for the woman, if she was truly in distress. Given the reputation of that area for lawlessness, it was an easy choice. Plus, in our modern times and the availability of cell phones, help was merely a phone call away.