Move Over Laws in United States
Move Over laws were originated in the US after a South Carolina Paramedic, James D. Garcia, was struck and injured at an accident scene Jan. 28, 1994, in Lexington, SC. Garcia was listed at fault, leading to his work to create a law to protect other emergency responders. SC's version (SC 56-5-1538) passed in 1996, and was revised in 2002.
After a series of similar events across the US in 2000, the US Dept of Transportation and Federal Highway Administration began to address the issue of Emergency Scene Safety, and issued recommended changes for the new MUTCD (Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices) that finally addressed the need for improved standards and protection for Emergency Workers. With the further assistance of public interest groups such as the Emergency Responder Safety Institute (www.respondersafety.com), "Move Over Laws" became standard across the US and Canada.
In United States, the move over laws are aimed at protecting emergency responders working along the roadside. Forty-nine U.S. states have passed move over laws, which were promoted in response to increasing roadside fatalities in the line of duty. The law require drivers, upon noticing either emergency vehicle with sirens or flashing lights, to move away from the vehicle by one lane, or if that is not possible, slow down by 20 mph (32kmh) below the posted speed limit. This includes law enforcement vehicles, fire trucks and ambulances. In New York State, drivers must use due care when approaching an emergency vehicle that displays red and/or white emergency lighting such as law enforcement vehicles, fire trucks and ambulances and also vehicles with flashing amber lighting such as tow trucks, construction vehicles and other service workers stopped along the side of the road while performing their duties.
Currently, only Washington, D.C. does not have a move over law. On June 17, 2009, Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell signed House Bill 5894, establishing a Move Over requirement in the state. Connecticut's Move Over law took effect on October 1, 2009. On August 13, 2010, New York's governor signed a move over law to take effect 1/1/2011. On 1/1/12 the move over law was modified to include, not only police, fire trucks and ambulances, but also hazard vehicles, such as tow trucks. Maryland's move over law provisions, which were approved by Governor O'Malley on May 20, 2010, came into effect on October 1, 2010. On October 1, 2012 North Carolina's newly revised "move over law", which has been expanded include utility and maintenance operations, will go into effect.
Read more about this topic: Move Over Law
Famous quotes containing the words united states, move, laws, united and/or states:
“On the whole, yes, I would rather be the Chief Justice of the United States, and a quieter life than that which becomes at the White House is more in keeping with the temperament, but when taken into consideration that I go into history as President, and my children and my children’s children are the better placed on account of that fact, I am inclined to think that to be President well compensates one for all the trials and criticisms he has to bear and undergo.”
—William Howard Taft (1857–1930)
“I was only one woman alone, and had no power to move to action full-fed, sleek- coated, ease-loving, pleasure-seeking, well-paid, and well-placed countrymen in this war- trampled, dead, old land, each one afraid that he should be called upon to do something.”
—Clara Barton (1821–1912)
“The laws of Caesar are one thing, those of Christ, another. Papinianus judges one way, our Paul another.”
—Jerome (c. 340–420)
“Scarcely any political question arises in the United States that is not resolved, sooner or later, into a judicial question.”
—Alexis de Tocqueville (1805–1859)
“The mission of the United States is one of benevolent assimilation.”
—William McKinley (1843–1901)