Local News
A Legacy of Safety
On April 25, 1997, Indiana State Police Tpr. Andrew P. Winzenread was killed trying to help a stranded motorist on Interstate 74 in Decatur County.
A semi-tractor trailer had passed too closely, colliding with Winzenread. He sustained serious injuries and later passed away. His sacrifice may have eventually led to countless lives being saved, following Indiana’s “Move Over, Slow Down” legislation.
Wednesday, July 1 marks the 10th anniversary of the law. On April 19, 1999, Indiana Gov. Frank O’Bannon signed the bill into law which subsequently went into effect on July 1, 1999.
According to ISP Sgt. Noel Houze, the law, the first of its kind in the United States, was enacted as a result of numerous Indiana law enforcement officers and innocent civilians being seriously injured or killed along Indiana’s Interstates by motorists failing to move over or slow down for stationary emergency vehicles. According to statistics from the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, from 1999-2008 154 police officers from around the country have been struck and killed by other vehicles while performing their duties along the nation’s highways, Houze explained.
The law, Indiana Code 9-21-8-35(b) states, “Upon approaching a stationary authorized emergency vehicle, when the authorized emergency vehicle is giving a signal by displaying alternately flashing red, red and white, or red and blue lights, a person who drives an approaching vehicle shall: proceeding with due caution, yield the right-of-way by making a lane change into a lane not adjacent to that of the authorized emergency vehicle, if possible with due regard to safety and traffic conditions, if on a highway having at least four lanes with not less than two lanes proceeding in the same direction as the approaching vehicle; or proceeding with due caution, reduce the speed of the vehicle, maintaining a safe speed for road conditions, if changing lanes would be impossible or unsafe. In 2000 the law was amended to include yielding to stationary highway maintenance vehicles and recovery vehicles.
Violation of the Move Over, Slow Down law is a Class A Infraction and carries a maximum fine of $10,000. In addition to the fine, drivers license suspensions could also be imposed if property damage, injury, or death occurs as a result of violating the Move Over law.
Since Indiana enacted this legislation, other states from around the nation have followed Indiana’s lead by enacting similar laws. According to the National Safety Commission, in 2009 Move Over laws were passed and implemented by the legislatures in New Jersey, Massachusetts and Rhode Island bringing the total number of states with Move Over laws to 46. For more information on the Move Over laws from various states visit the "Move Over America" Website at www.moveoveramerica.com.
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