Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - New York’s Slow Down/Move Over Law is set to see an expansion take effect starting this Wednesday statewide.
While the state law already includes emergency personnel and other service vehicles - State Department of Transportation, tow trucks, etc. - as part of this measure, the expansion will now include disabled vehicles on the roadside requiring drivers to exercise caution when approaching them in an effort to protect motorists.
"We're expanding to any vehicle with four-way flashers [on] or are broke down on the side of the road. It could be a normal pedestrian vehicle, it could be a tractor trailer. Now if you come across that in your travels, you have to move to the adjacent lane, obviously, to give them the most space they need to either fix a problem or request assistance," said State Trooper James O'Callaghan in an interview with WBEN.
O'Callaghan says this is a great opportunity for safety, and better protect your normal resident who may find themselves stranded on the side of a busy roadway.
"Anyone who's been broke down on the side of a Thruway or interstate, or a four access lane highway, it is very dangerous. Your car rocks as cars go by. It's nerve-racking if you have kids or a family in the vehicle, and I think this is a great way to not only enforce something that theoretically should be enforced anyway, just for safety purposes for people that are broke down on the side of the road, or maybe need assistance on the side of the road," O'Callaghan said.
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AAA supported legislation for the expanded law, as research shows that drivers are at risk when their vehicle breaks down. From 2015 through 2021 nationwide, 2,474 pedestrians were struck and killed by moving automobiles while outside a disabled vehicle, including 48 in New York State.
"There are two keys from our vantage point: One is awareness, making people aware of this new law, this expansion of an existing law; and then No. 2 is making sure that drivers, motorists heed the law and actually slow down and move over in these situations," said Mark Gruba from AAA of Western and Central New York in an interview with WBEN. "We've all been driving and seen cars on the side of the road, or emergency vehicles on the side of the road, and cars go flying right by them in that lane, when they're right next to where they are on the side of the road. Obviously, it's an incredibly dangerous situation. This law will only work if people are aware of it, and then do the right thing."
Gruba believes this expansion of the law will save lives, and when people are aware of the new measures, it will be to the benefit of all drivers across the state.
"It's going to make people who are stuck on the side of the road feel safer about being in that awful situation," Gruba added. "No one wants to be on the side of the road with a broken down, disabled vehicle. It's scary, and this is going to make it, hopefully, a little less scary for people and a lot safer."
All 50 states, as well as Canada, have a form of the Slow Down/Move Over Law that requires drivers to slow down and change lanes, if safely possible, when they encounter a vehicle with flashing lights stopped at the roadside. New York was the 48th state to implement such a law in 2010, and is now 22nd state to take into account the expansion of the law in place.
"There's really no excuse for a motorist coming through New York from other places, because their states have already had this. And we're looking at safety. Other states have adopted this similar-type thing, where not only emergency vehicles and service vehicles, but now passenger vehicles," O'Callaghan said.
"Our whole goal here is to save lives, that's what it comes down to. It's tough to save lives when it's not enforceable. So now that it is, we're hoping that people and motorists will take it more seriously when they see a vehicle or someone on the side of the roadway."
The biggest message with the expansion of this state law going forward to motorists is slow down and move over, if practicable.
"We understand sometimes the traffic here can be crazy. I mean, we have the [Blue] Water Tower [in Amherst], we've got the 190 through Buffalo, and those areas obviously apply. But, at least, turn your signal on, signifying to the motorists around you, you are looking to change lanes, and slow down considerably in case something happens, you're able to stop or adjust what you're doing as a driver," O'Callaghan said. "And that's what we're looking for. We understand, not every time you'll be able to move over, but obviously slow down and show the other traveling public that you're looking to move over with that turn signal."
From 2015-21, 125 police officers, 123 tow truck operators and more than 250 highway workers across the nation were struck and killed by passing vehicles.
In addition, O'Callaghan says Move Over tickets have gone up 7% just from 2022 to 2023 alone.
Gruba feels the education with this law expansion will be important toward further making the roadways safer for all. He says as you become aware of the law, share it with the people you know and love.
"I think a subtle aspect of this law that needs to be reinforced is the law is slow down and move over, if safe to do so. Many times when we're in heavy traffic, you simply can't get over. There's a row of cars in that next lane, and you can't get over. From a law enforcement standpoint, what they're looking for is, at least, the attempt to get over. Put that turn signal on, if you can't get over. At least indicate that you're trying to get over, and absolutely slow down, we all have the ability to do that," Gruba echoed O'Callaghan. "But even if you can't get over, if you slow down, you're dramatically increasing the safety component of the situation. The slower you're going, the more time you're going to have to react to something unexpected, and the more times someone on the side of the road will have to react as well."