Recently in the state of California there have been numerous highway workers seriously injured and even killed while on the job. As a person that makes a living working on California's highways it's something that's always in the back of my mind. In 2007 a new law came into effect in the state of California known as the move over law. According to the National Safety Commission only 71% of Americans have heard of said law. Currently all states except Hawaii have a move over law on their books.
California Vehicle Code 21809 reads as follows:
(a) A person driving a vehicle on a freeway approaching a stationary authorized emergency vehicle that is displaying emergency lights, a stationary tow truck that is displaying flashing amber warning lights, or a stationary marked Department of Transportation (cal-trans) vehicle that is displaying flashing amber warning lights, shall approach with due caution and, before passing in a lane immediately adjacent to the authorized emergency vehicle, tow truck, or Department of Transportation vehicle, absent other direction by a peace officer, proceed to do one of the following:
(1) Make a lane change into an available lane not immediately adjacent to the authorized emergency vehicle, tow truck, or Department of Transportation vehicle, with due regard for safety and traffic conditions, if practicable and not prohibited by law.
(2) If the maneuver described in paragraph (1) would be unsafe or impracticable, slow to a reasonable and prudent speed that is safe for existing weather, road, and vehicular or pedestrian traffic conditions.
What does all this mean?? First lets take a look at what is considered a emergency vehicle. What first comes to mind is the common ones such as Police, Ambulance, and Fire Truck. Then we have a couple others such as Cal-Trans and Tow Trucks. Cal-Trans trucks are orange in color and are the workers you see making repairs on our freeways. Cal-Trans also sub contracts out work to private businesses you'll see those workers wearing reflective vests and their trucks equipped with amber flashing lights. More than 178 Cal-Trans workers have lost their lives while on the job that number doesn't include the numerous other independent sub contractors that have also lost their lives on California's highways.
In today's busy freeways tow trucks are so common most people don't notice them or consider them to be first responders. Tow truck drivers have a dangerous job clearing wrecks from our roads most of the time only a couple feet from traffic lanes. Talk to any tow truck driver and many of them can recall a close call or incident while on the job. According to the International Towing Museum about 40 tow truck drivers a year loose their life on Americas highways. In September 9th 2006 the museum unveiled the Wall of the Fallen to honor all the tow truck drivers that have lost their lives in the line of duty.
When you're driving down the highway and see flashing lights please give highway workers space and move over one lane if you can safely do it, show them the same respect you would a fire truck or a police car.
In today's busy freeways tow trucks are so common most people don't notice them or consider them to be first responders. Tow truck drivers have a dangerous job clearing wrecks from our roads most of the time only a couple feet from traffic lanes. Talk to any tow truck driver and many of them can recall a close call or incident while on the job. According to the International Towing Museum about 40 tow truck drivers a year loose their life on Americas highways. In September 9th 2006 the museum unveiled the Wall of the Fallen to honor all the tow truck drivers that have lost their lives in the line of duty.
When you're driving down the highway and see flashing lights please give highway workers space and move over one lane if you can safely do it, show them the same respect you would a fire truck or a police car.
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