A brave Highway Patrol officer has successfully advocated for a new law in her state’s senate to enhance the existing safety regulations and provide protection for all vehicles on the road.
When you find yourself in an emergency situation on the road, pulling over to the side is not only a terrifying experience but also poses a significant risk.
“I was hit by a semi,” she revealed to the Kansas Reflector.
“I would be devastated to witness such a scenario unfolding, not just for the emergency vehicles but also for the residents of this state.”
Kansas currently has a law known as the “Move Over” law. This law requires drivers to move over and create a safety buffer for emergency vehicles, tow trucks, and maintenance vehicles.
If drivers do not move over when it is safe to do so, they will be subjected to a $75 fine.
Shortly after Breshears had his cruiser incident, the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) made revisions to the current law, extending its coverage to include all disabled vehicles.
When you find yourself unable to move over to another lane, it is essential to adhere to the law’s requirement of reducing your speed and proceeding with caution. This is done to ensure the safety of individuals who may be inside or near the stranded vehicle.
Senate Bill 142 offers protection to all stopped motorists who utilize items to indicate distress, such as flashing hazard lights, cones, flares, or reflector triangles.
Failing to pass disabled vehicles safely can result in a $75 fine for the first offense.
If a motorist is stopped again within five years from their first offense, the fine increases to $750. A third offense would result in a fine of $1,000.
According to Breshears, the difference between a safe traffic stop and a potentially dangerous situation can come down to just a few feet or even inches.
“Our troopers experience the daily dangers of working on the side of a road.”
According to Joel Skelley, the director of policy at KDOT, there have been almost 700 accidents in the past four years caused by drivers who failed to move over for disabled vehicles.
The U.S. Sun has contacted Patrol Capt. Candice Breshears and KDOT’s Joel Skelley for comment.
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