From Wednesday, October 18 through Friday, October 20, Washington State Patrol troopers are conducting a ‘Slow Down, Move Over’ emphasis patrol to remind drivers to slow down and move over when a trooper has someone pulled over, so that troopers and drivers all get home safely.
In the last two years, 62 patrol cars have been hit and 24 troopers injured for an average of one trooper injured every month.
The Move Over law, RCW 46.61.212, requires that vehicles approaching an emergency zone proceed with caution, slow down, and if safe, move over or change lanes.
- An emergency vehicle includes, police, fire, medical, tow trucks, and vehicles providing roadside assistance that are making use of warning lights.
- An Emergency Zone is the adjacent lane of the roadway, and includes two hundred feet before and after the emergency vehicle.
- If there are two lanes going in the same direction, move completely into the left lane.
- The penalty is $214 and cannot be waived or reduced.
- The Washington State Patrol contacted 4,175 drivers for the move over violation in 2016.
The inclement weather season is about to start and is when we see a rise in the number of patrol cars hit. The Washington State Patrol would like to remind drivers to slow down and move over when they see emergency lights. It’s safe and it’s the law.
[Source: Sargeant James Prouty, Washington State Patrol]
