Drivers Not Following the “Move Over Law”
The flashing lights, flares, traffic cones, and signs used when police officers, ambulances, and tow truck drivers assist people on the side of a road are hard to miss. While many drivers slow down out of curiosity, New Jersey state law requires drivers to either slow down or change lanes when approaching these emergency vehicles.
New Jersey’s Move Over legislation was signed into law in January 2009 to reduce the number of fatalities suffered by emergency service workers struck by passing vehicles. The law requires that all vehicles approaching flashing lights on the side of the road move over to a lane nonadjacent to the emergency vehicles. When switching lanes is not a safe option, drivers are required to slow down to a speed below the posted speed limit while passing these vehicles.
The Emergency Responder Safety Institute recently estimated that close to 100 emergency service workers providing roadside assistance are killed each year when struck by passing vehicles. These emergency workers include ambulance drivers and emergency medical technicians, police officers, firefighters, tow truck drivers, and roadside assistance workers.
In a recent survey conducted by AAA, 60 percent of police officers and tow truck operators reported that they do not believe the public is aware of the Move Over Law, and that they do not feel any safer today than they did before the law was passed. Eighty-one percent of drivers surveyed said they were aware of the Move Over Law in New Jersey, while 61 percent said they followed the law.
Public Education and Compliance are Key
So why are there still so many emergency workers fatally injured each year? Authors of the AAA study concluded that the public is aware that the law exists, but that the majority do not follow the guidelines for moving over as often as they believe. New Jersey’s Assembly and Senate leaders believe education is the key to preventing these deaths. New legislation is pending that would require the Department of Transportation to promote the Move Over Law to the public via public service announcements, message signs on roadways and highways, and driver education campaigns.
In the meantime, police officers, ambulance personnel, firefighters, and tow truck drivers urge New Jersey motorists to heed the Move Over Law. Whenever there are flashing lights on the side of the road, move over to a nonadjacent lane, if possible, or slow down to a speed 20 mph below the posted limit.
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