New va. state law

[rsdemt]

I was watching my local Winchester Va. tv station. They said that there is a new law called "pill over, or slow down.: It pertains to a new law that states all drivers approaching a stopped emergency vehicle with flasjing lights must either move over to another lane, but if not possible to slow down, untill passing the emergency vehicle.
Here is a link to the Va. state police website regarding this law.
, http://www.vsp.state.va.us/SlowDownMoveOver_VAcode.shtm Even though it is the Va. state police, website it applies, to all emergency vehicles in Va.

 

[ffemt8978]

Washington state just passed a similar law, and upped the fine for failing to yield to an emergency vehicle to over $1000.

 

[mikie]

Washington state just passed a similar law, and upped the fine for failing to yield to an emergency vehicle to over $1000.

I think that should apply to everyone! I ALWAYS move over/slow down for any emergency vehicle (even if it's just a cop pulling someone over. Too many road-side deaths.

 

[paramedix]

WOW! It's great that you're laws are enforced regarding this. I am sure we have a similar law, but it gets RARELY enforced if ever.

Either people stop to have a look and cause a secondary MVC or they see how fast they can drive through the scene or past the vehicle!

 

[keith10247]

While I like the potential that this law has, it has been advertized mainly for police officers. They did a video for this: http://www.vsp.state.va.us/PSA_SlowDownMoveOver_Transcript.shtm

You will notice, it is a state police video. I wish that they would have included Fire/EMS in to these types of advertizing. A majority of the citizens will see this and see the blue lights on the side of the highway and move over. The unfortunate thing is, the officer will be on the side of the road with his/her lights on primarily because they are pulling someone over. It is a known fact (at least in the metro dc area) that when a trooper has someone pulled over, you don't have to slow down because what are the odds that he will jump back in to his cruiser to catch you, while letting the person he already pulled over go free?

 

[Anomalous]

Wisconsin must have a tough law for these situations. EVERYONE pulls over or stops. I knew right away I wasn't in Illinois any more.

 

[wolfwyndd]

OH has had that law on the books for YEARS.

 

[firecoins]

I do it because it makes sense. Not because the gov't tells me so.