Signs along Route 95 north and south alert drivers to the move-over law.

The Providence Journal / Steve Szydlowski

PROVIDENCE Slow down and move over! It’s the law.

Huh?

That “Huh?” is what state officials and advocacy groups are seeking to eliminate through a public awareness campaign to remind motorists of a law that requires them to vacate the lane next to a roadside emergency.

Or slow down to 20 mph less than the posted speed limit if they have to stay in the adjacent lane.

The traffic safety law is designed to protect anyone working by the side of the road –– police officers, firefighters, EMT personnel, highway workers and tow truck operators –– from being injured or killed by passing traffic.

Motorist stopped for speeding past on the adjacent lane face a fine of $85.

“You must slow down and move over when you see the (amber, blue or red) emergency lights,” said Lloyd Albert, senior vice president of public and government affairs at AAA. “Once you get in the habit of doing this, it becomes routine.”

And as far as Sen. John J. Tassoni, Jr. (D-Smithfield, North Smithfield) is concerned, the law includes ordinary citizens using flashers. Tassoni sponsored the bill through the Senate; it became law on Aug. 1, 2008.

“My take on the whole thing is that when people put their flashers on, it’s the same thing as flashing lights,” he said.

“It’s a major traffic safety problem that affects people working on the highways,” said Rep. Joseph M. McNamara (D-Cranston, Warwick) who sponsored the bill through the House. “The emergency personnel, the tow truck and AAA operators as well as a Good Samaritan (helping another motorist in trouble).”

Officials from the Rhode Island State Police, the Rhode Island Department of Transportation and AAA Southern New England hosted a news conference last week to launch the public awareness campaign.

Motorists may have already noticed electronic signs on the highways reminding them of the Move Over law. In addition, the Highway Assistance Radio, 1630 AM, is transmitting information, as are commercials on the radio.

“It’s a public service message to remind people of the law,” said Lt. Col. Steven J. O’Donnell, deputy superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police and chief of field operations.

O’Donnell said it was too early to ascertain whether the law had made the roads safer for his troopers.

But he cited an incident in the last month in which two troopers were injured while attending to a van that had broken down.

A car fishtailed into their cruiser, sending them both to hospital where they were treated and released, he said.

He said the RISP have issued tickets to motorists who have failed to vacate the lane or slow down, but could not say how many as the infraction was included under another statute. He said that situation has recently been changed and Move Over tickets would henceforth be identified as such.

“It’s a matter of courtesy, a common sense law,” said McNamara.

Albert said it may seem like common sense but noted that 46 states have now deemed it necessary to put Move Over laws on their books. The latest was Massachusetts, where the law became effective March 22.

In early February, AAA Southern New England representatives donated plaques celebrating the passage of the law to the families of Jarrod Drew and Timothy Kelly, two AAA tow truck operators who were killed five years ago while working on the roadside.

“We had promised the families we would work hard to get a (Move Over) law passed,” said Albert, adding that they appreciate that the new law honors the memory of the two men.

But just six weeks ago, a Massachusetts state trooper was seriously injured while attending to an accident on Interstate 91. He was hit by a car that had been struck by a speeding truck.

And just over two years ago, a tow truck operator assisting a disabled motorist on Route 4 in East Greenwich was killed when he tried to retrieve a tire from the road onto and was hit by a truck.

“People just fly by,” Albert said. “This is life-saving legislation.”

Indeed, 151 police officers were killed between 1997 and 2006 by passing traffic while attending to roadside duties, according to Move Over America, a partnership of the National Safety Commission, the National Sheriffs’ Association and the National Association of Police Organizations.

The partnership has been pushing for passage of Move Over laws nationwide. Only four states –– Connecticut, Hawaii, Maryland, Nebraska (where legislation is pending) and the District of Columbia –– currently do not have a Move Over law on their books, according to Chris Knight of the National Safety Commission in Florida.

“It has been beneficial,” said Knight, the former director of the Florida Highway Patrol, of the law. But he added that it was difficult to measure its impact because of changing traffic patterns.

“The volume (of traffic) is so much more than it was 10 or 15 years ago,” he said, noting that while drivers may have had more room to move over years ago, now there may be no opportunity to do so.

Knight said one of the main motivations to get Move Over laws passed was educational. AAA’s Albert agreed.

“We were involved in the passage of the law and felt motorists needed to be reminded,” he said. “It’s never too late to get the word out.”

He said AAA had taken a survey to measure awareness of the law and would take another survey in six months to find out how awareness has changed.

Albert said he recently returned from a trip that involved driving from Georgia to Jacksonville, Fla.

“There was this massive sign (on the Florida state line) saying you’ve got to move over,” he said. “It’s important to pass good laws, but it’s also important to inform the public of the laws.”

For more information, go to:

www.rilin.state.ri.us/

statutes/title31/31-14/

31-14-3.htm

www.moveoveramerica.com

pelsworth@projo.com