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County Traffic Program warns motorists of new emergency vehicle law

Posted 12/17/10

The St. Lawrence County Traffic Program advises motorists to move over and slow down when encountering emergency vehicles on New York’s roads, as a new law reinforcing existing law goes into effect …

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County Traffic Program warns motorists of new emergency vehicle law

Posted

The St. Lawrence County Traffic Program advises motorists to move over and slow down when encountering emergency vehicles on New York’s roads, as a new law reinforcing existing law goes into effect Jan. 1.

Governor Paterson signed the Ambrose-Searles ‘Move Over Act’ into law last summer.

The act requires drivers to avoid colliding with an emergency vehicle which is parked, stopped or standing on the shoulder with its emergency lights on.

State police warn that drivers must reduce speed when encountering such vehicles, but on parkways, interstates, and other controlled access highways with multiple lanes, drivers are further required to move from the lane immediately adjacent to the emergency vehicle, unless traffic or other hazards prevent doing so safely.

Although it is not specified in the law, county Traffic Safety Coordinator Mary Davison recommends that drivers should slow to at least 20 mph below the speed limit when approaching the parked emergency vehicle.

“New York’s motorists have long been required to pull over to the right when an emergency vehicle is en route with its siren and red or red/combination lights flashing,” Davison said. “While it is not required by law to pull over for vehicles flashing blue or green lights, a considerate driver should allow the right of way to first responders en route to emergencies.”

The new law is named in honor of two police officers killed by vehicles while they were stopped on the side of the road.

Violation is a punishable by a fine of up to $275, plus mandatory court surcharges, and adds two points on the driver’s license record.