Slow down move over
In Garden City, Nassau County, AAA and community members are teaming up to raise awareness of the law. This law mandates that drivers reduce their speed and remain vigilant when encountering road crews and emergency vehicles. A tragic incident occurred earlier this week in Queens, where a car collided with a work zone on the Grand Central Parkway, resulting in the death of a highway worker.
In October, Carlos Santiago, a 47-year-old tow truck driver, lost his life in a chain reaction crash on the Long Island Expressway while assisting a broken-down vehicle. Santiago’s grieving family expressed their sorrow, emphasizing the avoidable nature of the incident and the profound impact it had on their lives. Despite a decrease in the number of police officers being struck by vehicles nationwide, the same cannot be said for tow truck drivers and other contractors working near roads.
According to AAA, 26 tow truck drivers lose their lives each year in the United States, and within the past 46 days alone, six have been killed on the job. Robert Sinclair from AAA Northeast emphasized their goal of reducing these fatalities by expanding the law, as even one death is considered too many.
New York‘s “Slow Down, Move Over” law, also known as the “Ambrose-Searles Move Over Act,” was enacted to protect the safety of emergency workers and other personnel working on the roadways. The law requires drivers to slow down and move over when approaching stopped emergency vehicles, tow trucks, and other authorized vehicles with flashing lights.
The history of New York’s “Slow Down, Move Over” law can be traced back to the initial legislation passed in 2011. The law was later expanded and strengthened with the passing of the “Ambrose-Searles Move-Over Act” in 2017. This amendment expanded the scope of the law to include volunteer firefighters and authorized vehicles displaying blue or green emergency lights.
The specific code for New York’s “Slow Down, Move Over” law can be found in Section 1144-A of the New York Vehicle and Traffic Law (VTL). This section outlines the requirements for drivers to exercise due care when approaching certain vehicles displaying flashing lights and take appropriate actions to ensure the safety of personnel working on the roadways.
To access the complete and up-to-date version of the New York Vehicle and Traffic Law, including Section 1144-A pertaining to the “Slow Down, Move Over” law, you can visit the official website of the New York State Legislature. The website provides access to the current laws of New York State, and you can navigate to the specific section using the search or browse functions available on the site.
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