Colorado ‘move over law’ will soon apply to all vehicles

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KKTV) - Move over! It’s a law on the books to keep first responders safe on the side of Colorado roads, but this summer, that law is expanding to cover all vehicles.

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis signed the new measure into law last week. HB23-1123 requires that drivers move over a lane whenever they encounter any stationary vehicle with its hazards flashing -- and if they can’t move over, they must slow down. The new protections will take effect in August, and they come as 2022 marked the deadliest year on Colorado roads since 1981, according to AAA Colorado.

On Monday, a Colorado State Patrol trooper in El Paso County went to the hospital after a driver struck the patrol vehicle at the roadside -- the seventh such crash this year.

“It is going to be a lot of education. It seems some people are not aware of this law even though it’s been in effect for quite some time. We are going to be giving more information to get the public aware,” Colorado State Patrol trooper Gabriel Moltrer said.

According to research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, motor vehicle towing is one of country’s deadliest lines of work -- with a death rate 15 times more than that of every other private industry combined. On average, nearly 350 people across the country are struck and killed every year while outside a disabled vehicle.

“One thing is clear: Drivers ignore ‘Slow Down, Move Over’ laws because they don’t know about them or they just don’t understand them,” said Skyler McKinley, regional director of public affairs for AAA.

To get the word out about the need to slow down and move over and this new law, AAA says they are expanding its “Move Over for Me” campaign in Colorado communities. CSP told KKTV 11 News troopers will be focused on education on the new law before writing the costly tickets -- tickets that could come with jail time for drivers who fail to obey.

Learn more at AAA.com/SlowDownMoveOver.

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