Crash Responder Safety Week Begins in California: Move Over Law Now Covers All Stopped Vehicles With Hazard Lights
The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) joined five partners — the Office of Traffic Safety (OTS), the California Highway Patrol (CHP), CAL FIRE, the California Tow Truck Association (CTTA) and AAA — in a joint announcement on November 2 marking Crash Responder Safety Week, urging drivers to protect the law enforcement officers, firefighters, emergency medical personnel, tow operators and utility crews who work at the roadside.
The agencies noted that California's Move Over law has been updated: when approaching any stopped vehicle displaying hazard lights or warning devices such as cones or flares, drivers must move over a full lane or, if that is not possible, slow down. The expansion comes from the newly signed AB 390, which extends the slow-down-and-move-over duty beyond emergency vehicles to all such stopped vehicles.
According to the announcement, all 50 states have Move Over laws, yet nearly one-third of the public still does not know these laws exist, and traffic-related incidents remain a leading cause of death for responders.
"Every day, CAL FIRE personnel respond to emergencies on California's roadways… If you see emergency lights ahead, slow down and move over when it is safe to do so," CAL FIRE said. AAA said it has championed Move Over laws for 20 years. "Safety is always Caltrans' top priority. Slowing down and moving over in work zones is a simple and incredibly effective way to save lives," Caltrans said.
Official education resources are available through the Move Over page at BeWorkZoneAlert and at GoSafelyCA.org.
(Source: California Department of Transportation)
Source: California Department of Transportation
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 加州公路巡警总部大楼。 The California Highway Patrol headquarters. Public domain，摄影：Evan Beaver。图片来源 Source image: Wikimedia Commons via GSM asset-packs
