43
Bill would require drivers to move over when passing parked maintenance vehicles
By Marc Kovac
COLUMBUS
The Ohio Senate is considering legislation that would require drivers to make every effort to move over when road maintenance crews are at work.
Drivers already are required to change lanes when passing parked police cars, firetrucks and other emergency vehicles.
SB 137 would extend the list to include highway maintenance vehicles, including those parked in construction zones.
Drivers would be required to change lanes when possible, or to slow down and proceed with caution when not.
State Sen. Tom Patton of Cleveland, R-24th, the primary sponsor of the bill, said there have been more than 40 accidents involving Ohio Department of Transportation vehicles and equipment over the first four months of the year.
In 29 of those cases, drivers failed to move over or slow down.
“This legislation is badly needed and will help protect the lives of our transportation workers across the state,” Patton said, noting a Columbus- area ODOT worker collecting trash behind a guardrail who was killed in April.
He added, “SB 137 will offer dramatically safer roadways to both our dedicated highway maintenance workers and the general public. This legislation will do much to improve safety on our roadways and save lives.”
The proposed law changes have the support of the Ohio Turnpike Commission.
“In just the first five months of 2013, we have had seven incidents of collisions involving our maintenance vehicles on the Ohio Turnpike,” Commission Executive Director Rick Hodges told the Senate’s Transportation Committee on Tuesday.
“We believe that increasing public awareness by creating a potential penalty for failing to move over for a stationary highway maintenance vehicle will save lives,” Hodges said.