'Move Over Law' expanded, fines up to $400
PORTLAND, Ore. - The next time you see a police car pulled over to write a ticket, you'll need to remember a newly expanded law. Otherwise, you could be getting a ticket of your own.
Lawmakers in Salem have passed a few amendments to the existing "Move Over Law" which became law a few years ago. That law required motorists to move over to another lane further away from police or emergency vehicles pulled to the side of the road.
Motorists that can't move over are required to provide "as much room as possible" for the emergency vehicle and slow down. Slowing down is defined by state law as "reducing speed by at least 5 miles per hour below the posted speed limit."
The new amendments expand the moving/slowing requirement to motorists approaching a) roadside assistance vehicles and b) tow trucks on the side of the road. The amendments go into effect Jan. 1, 2010.
Failure to obey this law can cost drivers up to $400, according to the new fine schedule from the Oregon DMV. Offenders also would have a violation for "failure to maintain a safe distance from an emergency vehicle," on their driving record.
"Your basic fine for this violation is $287," said Steve Vitolo, author of the law and a program manager for ODOT's Safety Division. "If it is a substantial contributing factor to a crash, the ticket would $323, and if you are in a work zone, school zone or designated safety corridor then traffic fines [go to] $400."
For commercial motor vehicles traveling 10 miles or greater than the posted speed limit, add $42 to all of the fines, said Vitolo.
"The key is look for amber, red or blue lights on the side of the road," Vitolo said. "Regardless of what those vehicles are doing, they are included under this law. Just look for the lights."
Roadside assistance vehicles use amber lights, tow trucks use red, some police cars use blue, and other emergency vehicles use red and blue lights.
Officials say that many of the 700-plus deaths to officers in traffic incidents over the past 10 years were a result of "inattentive drivers" who crashed into the officers "at high speeds."
Have the new rules helped lower these traffic deaths? That's hard to say, said Lieutenant Ethan Wilson, assistant director of the patrol division for Oregon State Police, which issues tickets on state highways.
"Those instances were not really common, and they were statistically something that's hard to graph," Wilson said. "But, I have seen better compliance. Anecdotally, I see more and more people making an effort to either move over or try to slow down as awareness of this issue."
Related link:
- Oregon Department of Transportation fact sheet on the subject
