CTDOT Press Releases
10/19/2023
‘National Move Over Day’ a Reminder to Drivers to Protect Roadside Workers
AAA and the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) are emphasizing the need for drivers to slow down and move over away from first responders, construction crews, and disabled vehicles on the roadside at all hours, but especially as the days grow shorter. The latest statistics indicate that more than 75% of all roadside deaths occur after dark.
“CTDOT crews, construction workers, tow operators, and emergency responders have incredibly dangerous jobs, and it’s our responsibility to make sure they all make it home after their shift ends,” said Connecticut Department of Transportation Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto. “We need the public to always slow down and move over before they get to roadway incidents and vehicles on the side of the road. The Move Over Law is critical in reducing crashes, preventing injuries, and saving lives.”
According to data* analyzed by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, almost 2,000 people were killed in roadside crashes over the five-year period from 2017-2021, and nearly 1,500 of those deaths occurred after dark.
“This is extremely troubling, especially with the darkest days of the year ahead,” says Tracy Noble, spokesperson for AAA Club Alliance. “The Move Over law is intended to ensure that first responders working at the roadside can provide emergency services to those in need without risk to themselves or those they are trying to help. We are asking everyone to adjust their driving behaviors accordingly.”
In Connecticut, 16 people died in roadside crashes between 2017 and 2021 - 13 of them after dark.
Roadside workers – including law enforcement officers, road construction crews, and tow truck operators – spend much of their workdays mere feet away from speeding traffic, putting their lives on the line to keep our roadways and vehicle drivers and passengers safe.
Connecticut’s ‘Move Over’ law is one of the strongest in the country, in that it requires motorist to slow down and move over for ANY vehicle along the side of the road, not just emergency vehicles. A new addition to the law, effective October 1, also requires drivers to slow down when passing emergency vehicles at the roadside on one-lane roads where they wouldn’t be able to ‘move over’ into an adjacent lane.
Connecticut’s Move Over Law
Move Over Laws exist in all 50 states. Connecticut's Move Over law (Sec. 14-283b) requires all drivers on a highway of two lanes or more in one direction to slow down to a reasonable level below the speed limit and, if safe to do so, move over one lane not only for emergency responders and tow drivers, but for any vehicle along the side of the road. If a driver is unable to move over a lane, they are required to slow down and proceed with caution.
In Connecticut, the original law took effect in 2009 to reduce risk to law-enforcement officers, emergency responders and tow operators. It was expanded in 2017 to apply to every stationary vehicle along the roadside.
This year, the Connecticut General Assembly applied the law to emergency vehicles on the side of one-lane roads as well. The only requirement is to ‘slow down’, because there is no lane to ‘move over’ to.
A violation of Connecticut's Move Over Law is an infraction, unless it causes death or injury to the emergency vehicle driver. If the driver is injured, the violator faces a maximum $2,500 fine. If the driver is killed, the violator faces a maximum $10,000 fine.
Safety Recommendations for Drivers
To protect emergency responders and roadside workers, AAA offers these precautionary tips:
- Always remain alert. Avoid distractions and focus on the task of driving.
- Scan the road 20-30 seconds ahead of you to identify any potential hazards. Watch for situations where emergency vehicles, tow trucks, utility service vehicles or disabled vehicles are stopped on the side of the road.
- When approaching an emergency vehicle with lights flashing on the side of a roadway, drivers should slow down to a speed that is safe and approach with caution unless otherwise directed by an emergency worker on the scene.
“Emergency responders and roadside workers put themselves at risk every day to help people who are in need of emergency assistance or whose vehicles are broken down,” said Alec Slatky spokesperson for AAA Northeast. “As drivers, we all share responsibility for keeping roadside workers safe. By paying attention, slowing down and moving over, away from the side of the road where work is taking place, we allow those working to do so with less risk.”
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