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Drivers in West Virginia are already required by law to slow down and move over when approaching first responders on the side of the road.
On Friday that law expands – thanks to the passage of House Bill 2344 – to include maintenance crews and any disabled vehicle.
“There’s a huge difference between life and death, and that difference might even be 10 miles an hour. The faster you’re going, the riskier the crash can be. And ultimately, these are preventable crashes,” said Triple A Spokesman Jim Garrity.
“This is not something that is rare for people to be struck at the roadside. I see far too often, working at Triple A, videos that our tow truck providers are sending in that show just how close people get to them. I’ve talked to police officers who say that they have felt the cars bump their utility belts that have all their tools on them as they’re going by, and I’ve seen it with my own eyes,” Garrity said.
As of July 11, the new law requires drivers approaching a stationary vehicle with hazard or warning lights, flashers, flares or a reflective warning sign to:
- Proceed with caution
- Make a lane change away from the stationary vehicle if possible
- Reduce speed to 15 miles per hour on a nondivided highway or street and 25 miles per hour on a divided highway
Violators face penalties of up to $500; up to 60 days in the county or regional jail; loss of driving privileges for 90 in the case of property damage, six months in the case of injury to another person, and two years if another person is killed in the incident.