New crackdown driving law comes into force and motorists could be slapped with $150 fines and hefty penalties
DRIVERS in Colorado have been living with a new law for just over a month which cracks down on roadside accidents that could be deadly.
On August 7, the state’s new “Move Over Law” came into effect which gave all road users further protections when stranded on the roadside.
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Under the revised law, drivers are expected to change lanes or slow down when passing any vehicle that is on the roadside with its hazard lights flashing.
Previously, this law was only in place for the safety of emergency personnel responding to calls such as police vehicles, patrol cars, and tow trucks.
“The risk out there is so much bigger than just our law enforcement first responder community,” Col Matthew Packard from Colorado State Patrol told KOAA.
“It could be your neighbor.”
The law requires drivers on roads with two or more lanes to move over in order to give more room to those stuck on the roadside.
However, if this is not possible, drivers must slow down to 20mph below the speed limit.
Col Packard said: “If you do that, you will let the person at the side of the road know that you acknowledge them, you see them, and that they don’t need to worry about the threat posed by your car.”
A violation of the law is a Class 2 Misdemeanor Traffic Offense which could see drivers get a $150 fine and three points on their license.
“This is something that the Colorado State Patrol will take enforcement of very very seriously,” Col Packard added.
Over the past five years, the Colorado State Patrol has given out over 8500 citations and warnings for this offense.
Just before the introduction of the new law, two drivers had smashed into two different state patrol cars on the I-270 which left one trooper seriously injured.
Meanwhile, that same night, a Colorado Springs Police patrol car had been hit in a separate crash while stationary on the I-25 and the officer suffered minor injuries.
According to the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) this year seven CDOT safety patrol trucks have been hit by drivers.
“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,” the executive director of CDOT said at a press conference.
“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.”
The crackdown came as 2022 marked the deadliest year on Colorado roads in over four decades.
More than 745 people died on Colorado highways in 2022 alone, Colorado State Patrol told CBS News.
A poll in 2019 conducted by the National Safety Commission revealed that 67 percent of drivers were unaware of the Move Over Laws.
“The law can make a huge difference, but it can only be effective if motorists are aware of the laws, if drivers obey them, and if law enforcement officers enforce the laws,” the Regional Administrator at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said.