PA 12-19—sHB 5094

Public Safety and Security Committee

Transportation Committee

AN ACT CONCERNING THE "MOVE OVER" LAW

SUMMARY: This act applies the “move over” law to highways with two or more lanes in each direction. The previous law applied to highways with three or more lanes in each direction.

The move over law requires a motorist approaching one or more stationary emergency vehicles located on the travel lane, breakdown lane, or shoulder of a highway to (1) immediately slow to a reasonable speed below the posted speed limit and (2) move over one lane if traveling in the lane adjacent to the location of the emergency vehicle, unless this would be unreasonable or unsafe.

For these requirements to apply, the emergency vehicle must have flashing lights activated. For purposes of the move over law, an “emergency vehicle” includes a maintenance vehicle or wrecker or a vehicle operated by a:

1. member of an emergency medical service organization responding to an emergency call,

2. fire department or an officer of the department responding to a fire or other emergency, or

3. police officer.

A violation of these requirements is an infraction, unless the violation results in the injury or death of the emergency vehicle operator, in which case the fines are a maximum of $2,500 and $10,000, respectively.

The act also makes technical changes.

EFFECTIVE DATE: October 1, 2012

BACKGROUND

Maintenance Vehicle

A “maintenance vehicle” is a vehicle the state or a municipality, a state bridge or parkway authority, or any public service company uses to maintain public highways or bridges and facilities located within the limits of such highways or bridges (CGS § 14-1(46)).

Wrecker

A “wrecker” is a vehicle (1) registered, designed, equipped, and used by a Department of Motor Vehicles ̶ licensed motor vehicle dealer or repairer to tow or transport wrecked or disabled motor vehicles for compensation or for related purposes or (2) contracted for the consensual towing or transporting of motor vehicles to or from a place of sale, purchase, salvage, or repair (CGS § 14-1(101)).

OLR Tracking: DC: KM: PF: ro: eh