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.
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