When Colorado motorists see a vehicle stopped on the side of the road, the first question could be: "Is this a vehicle that I'm required to move over one lane for?"
The law operates differently depending on who's stopped, and that's confusing, said AAA spokesman Skyler McKinley.
The solution: require everyone to move over a lane or at least slow down for vehicles stopped at the side of the road.
House Bill 1123, which will be reviewed by the House Transportation, Housing and Local Government Committee Tuesday, intends to do just that.
The bill would require any motorist to move over one lane, or if not possible, to slow down to a safe speed, for any stopped vehicle displaying its hazard lights.
The measure comes from the Transportation Legislative Review Committee and is backed by AAA of Colorado.
McKinley told Colorado Politics that nationwide, 350 people are struck and killed at the roadside every year. That also includes AAA tow truck drivers, he said, and the problem is in part due to people not understanding the current law.
A study from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration says that only about 30% of motorists know about these laws, McKinley said. The U.S. Governmental Accountability Office has said it's hard to know just how to message around these kinds of laws because drivers get confused about which vehicles and when.
HB 1123 will simplify all of that, McKinley said.
"It allows us to get the message out that 'it's the law. If you see anybody, slow down and move over.'" It will protect motorists, he added.
It's also an equity issue, McKinley said, for motorists with older cars who have to fix their vehicles themselves in these situations. "You're not protected until you call the police or AAA," and not everybody wants to or is able to do that, he said. "We see this as an equity conversation: law enforcement deserves these protections and gets them" as do tow truck or utility vehicles. All motorists should have those protections, he said.
The bill has no opposition, although McKinley said the Department of Public Safety will seek an amendment regarding port of entry regulations that could move them to a position of support. The measure is also supported by the state patrol officers association, as is the city of Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs Utilities and the county sheriffs association.
