This weekend marks yet another year with a special commemoration. This Saturday is National Move Over / Slow Down day, we’re reminding drivers of the importance of this lifesaving maneuver.
Imagine driving down the highway, feeling safe and secure. Suddenly, you see flashing lights ahead. What do you do? Well if you know the law, you know you have to slow down or better yet, move over safely into at least the next lane away from those stopped vehicles.
Wisconsin State Patrol Sergeant Erica Ballweg-Larsen is shining a light on how important this law actually is, “Move over day is a day that we kind of want motorists to reflect and think about the people that are working alongside the roadways. Whether that’s a first responder, highway maintenance worker, tow truck operators, or any other emergency service vehicles that are on the side of the roadway. We want motorists just to kind of think about those people and that potentially their lives could be at risk when they’re traveling by at highway speeds.”
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, thousands of emergency personnel are injured or killed each year while on the job. Many of these tragic incidents could be prevented if drivers simply moved over.
And if you can’t move over, Sergeant Ballweg-Larsen says, “Slowing down is not going the speed limit past us. It’s slowing below the speed limit to a speed that’s safe. And it doesn’t have to be a speed that’s like so low that it’s causing a traffic incident behind you. But it’s just a speed that’s much safer so that it gives a little bit of a cushion just to give them a little bit extra protection.”
When workers or first responders are out on the side of the road way (where the majority of vehicles are traveling at a relatively high rate of speed), they have practically NO protection against a wayward vehicle that might creep into the shoulder just a little bit. All while these vehciles are tearing past them, they have to stay focused to do their jobs; sometimes saving another person’s life.
Think of how many times you’ve let your focus go, and you’ve just slightly slid over a bit. Now picture a human being there, just trying to do their job and go home safely to their home and family. It puts a different spin on it, doesn’t it?
So that’s why you might get pulled over if you don’t.
“A lot of times it might be just an educational lesson for when we stop motorists. And other times it might result in a citation. If you can’t move over, we would obviously very much appreciate motorists to slow down,” explains Ballweg-Larsen.
You could also face some hefty fines and points on your license, not to mention the possibility of hurting or worse yet, killing someone.
Ballweg-Larsen says, “The fine for this violation can result in a citation of $263 and three points. And it is a moving violation, so that’s where the points get added to the citation.”
There’s also another aspect of the law that most folks don’t realize, “In December of 2021, the Act 115 took effect. That law creates emergency response area within 500 feet of an authorized emergency vehicle with their lights on. Handheld devices are banned in that area, which we want to remind people that fines do double in work zones as well,” explains Ballweg-Larsen.
So, slow down, stay in control, and give the workers and first responders a wide berth when you see the flashing lights on the side of the road. Cut them some slack and slow it down so that everyone can get home safe and sound.
Check here for more information on the Move Over / Slow Down law.
DRIVERS ED WITH DEBBIE EPISODES:
