Move Over – It’s The Law in New York State

We all know this. So why is it still occuring? It happens all too often.

It's some motorists not paying attention or not moving over when approaching police vehicles, fire trucks, ambulances, construction and maintenance vehicles among others on a road or highway.

It happened again this week [Trooper Injured During Traffic Stop on Route 17]. It's got to stop. Can you imagine being seriously injured or worse for just doing your job? As we all know a tragedy did occur earlier this year [D.O.T. Worker Dies in Nichols.]

According to the New York State Department of Transportation, when you are on the road and see lights, vests and reflectors, it's time to slow down and safely move over. This applies when approaching any emergency vehicles, police, construction vehicles, and even tow trucks. Check out this simple explanation and diagram.

I know many people are in a hurry to get from point A to point B, but negligence is not an excuse when approaching these vehicles or a construction zone. It's just common sense.

Too many times I've seen vehicles zipping past me at twenty or more miles over the speed limit just to get in front of me when realizing that the need to move over is coming up on the highway. I've never understood the need to to that. More often than not, the vehicle ahead is going to go just as slow as I would. It's a hazard and an accident waiting to happen.

Let's keep our emergency personnel, police, construction workers, tow truck operators, and pedestrians safe. It's not just the law, it's to protect lives.

via New York State Thruway Authority