Move over: Bill would require yielding to garbage trucks

By Marc Kovac | February 20, 2016 at 12:04a.m.

COLUMBUS

Drivers would have to move over and proceed with caution when approaching garbage trucks on the road, under legislation that passed the Ohio House this week.

House Bill 58 moved on a vote of 98-0 and heads to the Ohio Senate for further consideration.

“Hopefully, this addition may be the basis for avoiding a tragedy and saving someone’s life,” said Rep. John Rogers, D-Mentor-on-the-Lake, a primary co-sponsor of the legislation whose brother is a sanitation worker.

Under current law, drivers are supposed to move over and proceed with caution when approaching law enforcement, emergency responders and road crews if vehicles have active flashing lights.

HB 58 would add waste-collection vehicles to that list and allow operators of those vehicles to use flashing lights when they’re at work.

Failure to move over could result in misdemeanor charges, with increased fines.

“At first glance, one may not realize how dangerous and even deadly this occupation is,” said Rep. Jack Cera, D-Bellaire, citing statistics showing motor-vehicle accidents being the No. 1 cause of sanitation-worker deaths.