Roadside Chat - Flashing lights? Do what's right. Move over
To keep everyone safer on the road, every state across the country has enacted some form of a “Move Over” law to encourage motorists to either slow down or move over when they come up on a crash scene. National data shows that nearly 30 percent of people are unaware that these laws exist.
As we finish out Crash Responder Safety Week, here’s a reminder about Iowa’s “Move over” law. The law (Iowa Code 321.323) was enacted in 2002 to help protect responders and motorists. It was expanded in 2018 to include not only emergency vehicles but any vehicle alongside the road with flashing lights.
If you are involved in a traffic crash, you’ll likely be relying on a variety of trained professionals to ensure you and everyone else at the scene are as safe as possible. Please be aware of the other traffic and possible incidents on the road and slow down and move over when you see flashing lights.
Find out more about Iowa’s Move Over law - https://iowadot.gov/rules
In Iowa in 2022, there have been 302 deaths in traffic crashes. That’s an increase of five since last Friday. To see statistics published daily by the Office of Driver Services, go to the daily fatality report at https://www.iowadot.gov/mvd/stats/daily.pdf