First responders – including law enforcement officers and tow truck operators – spend much of their workdays mere feet away from speeding traffic, putting their lives on the line to keep our roadways and the drivers and passengers who use them safe.Ahead of National Move Over Day, Tom Wiedemann, CEO of AAA, and Hamilton County Sheriff Charmaine McGuffey urge motorists to “look out for those who are always looking out for you” in a new PSA.”National Move Over Day is an important opportunity to underscore the need for drivers to slow down and ‘move over’ away from first responders and disabled motorists at the roadside,” said McGuffey.Sadly, these roadside workers and rescuers are being struck by vehicles and injured or killed at an alarming rate:According to the Emergency Responder Safety Institute, 65 traffic incident management responders were killed due to roadside collisions across the United States in 2021.A towing technician loses his or her life every six days on America’s roadways, according to the Towing & Recovery Association of America.Statistics from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) show that in 2021, there were 27 law enforcement officers struck by fatalities. Many of these fatal incidents occurred while officers were investigating motor vehicle crashes or assisting drivers on the side of the road.Between 2013 and 2020, work zone fatalities increased 45%. In 2020, over 102,000 work zone crashes were estimated to have occurred, resulting in over 45,000 injuries and 857 fatalities, according to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration.AAA has tragically lost two tow truck operators working at the roadside in the past two years.”We hope this Public Service Announcement will help remind drivers that first responders and other roadside workers are simply doing their jobs by serving and protecting others,” says Wiedemann. “Slow down and move over for them – it’s the law.” Move Over laws exist in all 50 states. AAA and other traffic safety advocates have been instrumental in the passage of laws to better protect tow truck drivers, road construction workers and other first responders. Ohio’s current Move Over law requires motorists to abide by the rules of the road.Stop when coming from any direction and approaching any moving authorized emergency vehicle using red visual signals/lights.Move over and slow down when passing any vehicle displaying amber or yellow flashing signals/lights. To protect roadside workers and drivers, and to improve highway safety for all road users, AAA and the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Department offer these precautionary tips:Remain alert, avoid distractions and focus on the task of driving.Keep an eye out for situations where emergency vehicles, tow trucks, utility service vehicles or disabled vehicles are stopped on the side of the road.When you see these situations, slow down and, if possible, move one lane over and away from the people and vehicles stopped at the side of the road.Slow Down, Move Over is an important message for drivers year-round, and especially at night. Data from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety shows that more than 75% of roadside deaths occur after dark.
First responders – including law enforcement officers and tow truck operators – spend much of their workdays mere feet away from speeding traffic, putting their lives on the line to keep our roadways and the drivers and passengers who use them safe.
Ahead of National Move Over Day, Tom Wiedemann, CEO of AAA, and Hamilton County Sheriff Charmaine McGuffey urge motorists to “look out for those who are always looking out for you” in a new PSA.
“National Move Over Day is an important opportunity to underscore the need for drivers to slow down and ‘move over’ away from first responders and disabled motorists at the roadside,” said McGuffey.
Sadly, these roadside workers and rescuers are being struck by vehicles and injured or killed at an alarming rate:
According to the Emergency Responder Safety Institute, 65 traffic incident management responders were killed due to roadside collisions across the United States in 2021.
A towing technician loses his or her life every six days on America’s roadways, according to the Towing & Recovery Association of America.
Statistics from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) show that in 2021, there were 27 law enforcement officers struck by fatalities. Many of these fatal incidents occurred while officers were investigating motor vehicle crashes or assisting drivers on the side of the road.
Between 2013 and 2020, work zone fatalities increased 45%. In 2020, over 102,000 work zone crashes were estimated to have occurred, resulting in over 45,000 injuries and 857 fatalities, according to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration.
AAA has tragically lost two tow truck operators working at the roadside in the past two years.
“We hope this Public Service Announcement will help remind drivers that first responders and other roadside workers are simply doing their jobs by serving and protecting others,” says Wiedemann. “Slow down and move over for them – it’s the law.”
Move Over laws exist in all 50 states. AAA and other traffic safety advocates have been instrumental in the passage of laws to better protect tow truck drivers, road construction workers and other first responders.
Ohio’s current Move Over law requires motorists to abide by the rules of the road.
Stop when coming from any direction and approaching any moving authorized emergency vehicle using red visual signals/lights.
Move over and slow down when passing any vehicle displaying amber or yellow flashing signals/lights.
To protect roadside workers and drivers, and to improve highway safety for all road users, AAA and the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Department offer these precautionary tips:
Remain alert, avoid distractions and focus on the task of driving.
Keep an eye out for situations where emergency vehicles, tow trucks, utility service vehicles or disabled vehicles are stopped on the side of the road.
When you see these situations, slow down and, if possible, move one lane over and away from the people and vehicles stopped at the side of the road.
Slow Down, Move Over is an important message for drivers year-round, and especially at night. Data from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety shows that more than 75% of roadside deaths occur after dark.
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