On Monday, Aug. 7, Colorado’s Move Over Law, which requires vehicles to move over when passing stationary emergency vehicles on the roadway, will require drivers to move over for any disabled vehicle on the side of the road, a Colorado Department of Transportation news release stated.
Gov. Jared Polis signed HB23-1123 into law, “requiring drivers to move over a lane whenever they encounter any stationary vehicle on a highway with its hazards flashing,” the news release said. If moving over isn’t a possibility, drivers must slow down to 20 mph below the speed limit while passing the vehicle. The bill was signed earlier this year.
Monday, Aug. 7, has been proclaimed “Slow Down, Move Over Day” in Colorado.
“With the updated Move Over Law, we are taking a significant stride toward our goal of zero deaths on Colorado roads,” Colorado State Patrol chief Matthew C. Packard said.
“People dealing with an issue on the side of the road are in a dangerous position, especially our first responders and others who regularly are near live traffic,” executive director of CDOT Shoshana Lew stated. “It is up to all of us, in every situation, to make the road as safe as possible when we see a vehicle pulled over on a shoulder. Move over and slow down for everyone, every time.”
Colorado is joining 19 other states that have laws meant to protect all stationary vehicles. Failing to move over or slow down is a Class 2 misdemeanor traffic offense, which may include a possible fine of $150 and a 3-point license violation.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that nearly 350 are killed after being struck by a passing motorist while outside a stopped vehicle a year. In 2022, 51 emergency responders across the country were struck and killed while working on the roadway.
