Move Over Educational/Enforcement Detail conducted 04.21.21 (PA)

[TowForce]

From Tom Leiss:

On Wednesday, April 21st, the Exeter Township Police Department conducted a Move Over educational/enforcement detail along Rt. 422 in Exeter Township (Berks County), Pennsylvania to raise awareness of the Pennsylvania Move Over Law.

 

 

Assisting in the Move Over Detail were

V&M Towing

,

Highway Safety Network District 5

, &

PennTIME - Pennsylvania Statewide Traffic Incident Management Group

.

 

Special thanks to the West Chester Borough Police Department for use of their Move Over signs and the

Emergency Responder Safety Institute for their Move Over Rack Cards to help bring awareness to the Move Over Law.

 

 

In 2019, 44 emergency responders were struck & killed in the United States while helping others, in 2020, 46 emergency responders were struck & killed. So far in 2021, 17 emergency responders have been struck & killed (10 police officers, 5 tow truck drivers, 1 fire-police officer, and 1 highway responder.)

 

 

 

Two Pennsylvania emergency responders have been struck & injured in the past 24 hours!

 

On Tuesday, April 27, 2021, the enhanced Pennsylvania Move Over Law goes into effect and fines will double for motorists failing to Move Over for emergency responders along the side of the roadway or at incident scenes:

• 1st offense = Increased from $250 to $500

• 2nd offense = Increased from $500 to $1,000

• 3rd offense = Increased from $1,000 to $2,000

 

In addition, there are additional fines and penalties for bodily injury or death in relation to emergency response areas or disabled vehicles up to $10,000.

 

A motorist will also receive two points on their driving record for violating the Move Over Law.

 

IF A MOTORIST IS UNABLE TO SAFELY MOVE OVER THEY MUST SLOW DOWN!

 

Minimum Speed: If a person cannot pass an emergency response area or while passing a disabled vehicle in a nonadjacent lane because it is impossible, illegal, or unsafe, the person would need to pass those areas at a speed no more than 20 miles per hour less than the posted speed limit.

 

An example of this is at 55 MPH, a motorist who is unable to Move Over must SLOW DOWN to a speed of NOT less than 35 MPH as they pass the emergency response area.

 

NEW PROVISION:

In addition, you must MOVE OVER for a disabled vehicle on the side of the roadway or in an emergency response area if the following is present:

Markings by Disabled Vehicles: A disabled vehicle shall use at least two of the following markings:

• Vehicular hazard signal lamps as provided in section 4305 (relating to vehicular hazard signal lamps) this means "4 Way Flashers"

• Caution signs or other traffic control devices, (triangles, signs, cones, etc.)

• Road flares.

Two examples:

A motorist with a flat tire along the side of the roadway with 4-way flashers on AND a cone or flare behind the vehicle - YOU MUST MOVE OVER if safe to do so if you can't Move Over you must SLOW DOWN.

A tractor-trailer on the side of the roadway with 4-way (emergency) flashers, and triangles - YOU MUST MOVE OVER if safe to do so if you can't Move Over you must SLOW DOWN.

 

Move Over Pennsylvania

National Struck-By Heroes

Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT)

Pennsylvania Turnpike

Pennsylvania State Police