State Officials Remind Motorists to Move Over to Save ‘Real Lives’

The Department of Transportation’s Highway Safety Office has started a new public service announcement campaign, meant to remind drivers about the “Real Lives” at risk if they don’t comply with the state’s Move Over law.

Connecticut’s Move Over law is one of the strongest and most thorough in the United States, as it does not just require drivers to move over if there is an emergency vehicle stopped on the roadside, but for any vehicles on the side of the road. The law applies to all highways and side roads in Connecticut, including one-lane roads. If a driver cannot change lanes or is driving on a one-lane road, drivers must instead slow down and exercise caution in the process.

Sen. Norm Needleman, D-Essex, stressed the importance of the law during a Thursday event with Colchester emergency responders.

“There’s good reason why moving over for traffic was made law – it protects workers and prevents serious injury and death in the event of crashes,” Needleman said. “I’m proud to be here today with our state and local leaders to make sure those who need space will get it, and to help make sure we see fewer avoidable crashes on the side of the road.”

On an annual basis, Connecticut first responders rush to the scenes of more than 100,000 motor vehicle crashes just within state lines. On a national basis, since 2020, roughly 40 crash responders are killed in the line of duty per year, according to the Highway Safety Office.

Violators can face significant fines, especially if their actions lead to crashes, injury or death. A normal violation is an infraction, but a crash resulting in the injury of emergency personnel can see fines climb to $2,500, and a crash resulting in a fatality can lead to a fine of up to $10,000 and potential criminal charges.

While Connecticut first passed its Move Over law in 2009 and expanded it in 2017, unfortunately, the state continues to experience roadside crashes. From 2017 to 2021, 16 people lost their lives in roadside crashes in Connecticut, with 13 of those deaths happening after sunset on dark roadways. Those statistics prompted lawmakers to update the policy again in 2023, ensuring all roads were considered in its language.

The new campaign is designed to remind drivers that motorists can be parked on the side of roadways for any variety of reasons, including Department of Transportation crews and construction workers performing roadwork, tow operators hooking up damaged or malfunctioning vehicles and emergency responders who have pulled over other motorists or are assisting someone in need.

Drivers who see a vehicle stopped on or next to a roadway should immediately try to slow down within reason and move over to a lane that would give the vehicle extra space. If they cannot move over safely, they should slow down and proceed with caution – but the DOT reminded drivers not to stop, as that can compound and worsen traffic issues and lead to further damage.

Posted By Joe O’Leary