Connecticut motorists who need help from police, paramedics, firefighters or other responders while on the road should feel confident that they can be safe in the process of getting help. Similarly, those who provide help to motorists should also feel that they will be safe in the process. To help this, Connecticut has enacted a law referred to as the “Move Over” law. This legislation requires that drivers maintain a free lane between disabled vehicles and responders and their moving vehicles.
The law requires that upon seeing a tow truck, police car, ambulance, fire truck, paramedic truck or a state highway maintenance vehicle on the side of or in a road providing assistance, other drivers must move over and/or even slow down when passing. Sadly, this law is not always followed. A drunk driver who recently hit a police vehicle along a stretch of Interstate 95 in Guilford is just one of the many people that has failed to obey the law.
Because of the challenges experienced, the state is looking to expand the coverage of the law. Fines may be imposed on people who break this law. The amount of the fine may vary, based upon the situation and whether or not any injury or death resulted from the driver’s actions.
People who have been involved in accidents while getting help from emergency responders or others may wish to talk with an attorney to learn about their options for seeking compensation.
