Hearing Today for Bill Protecting Tow Truck Drivers, Stranded Drivers
Phoenix, Ariz., January 25, 2010. Every year, a number of roadside workers and the motorists they are assisting risk becoming seriously injured or killed as a result of inadequate “Move Over” law protection. Today will hopefully mark a step forward to change this law, as the Senate will be hearing a bill designed to extend protection to roadside assistance personnel and the 1,200 stranded motorists they assist nearly every day.
SB 1138, the Roadside Safety Assistance Act sponsored by Sen. Nelson, aims to amend Arizona’s current “Move Over” law to include tow truck drivers and highway maintenance operators, as well as the motorists they are assisting. The bill is scheduled for a hearing today at 1:30 p.m. in the Senate Natural Resources, Infrastructure and Public Debt Committee.
“SB 1138 protects roadside responders and the motorists they’re assisting by offering them the same protection we give other emergency workers,” said AAA Arizona Public Affairs Director Linda Gorman. “We owe it to those individuals and their families to allow them to do their work as safely as possible.”
The bill would require motorists in any lane approaching a stationary tow truck or highway maintenance vehicle displaying a signal or flashing lights, to make a safe lane change to a non-adjacent lane, or when that’s not safe or possible, by proceeding with caution and at a reduced speed.
Currently, Arizona state law provides this protection to emergency vehicle workers, such as police and fire personnel. Prior to the adoption of the law, eight Department of Public Safety (DPS) officers lost their lives while performing their roadside duties. Since the current law was adopted in 2005, no DPS patrol officer has been killed while aiding the public on the side of the road, according to the agency.
Currently, 47 states, including Arizona, have “Move Over” laws that protect first responders, such as police and fire personnel. Of those states, 38 “Move Over” laws include roadside assistance personnel. Arizona is not one of these states.
In August 2008, tow truck driver Jesse Gault and the motorist he was assisting were killed on State Route 202, when a heavy-equipment truck veered into them. And in 2006, two additional tow truck drivers lost their lives while performing their roadside assistance duties.
In an effort to keep Arizonans informed and engaged on SB 1138, as well as other transportation issues, AAA has a launched a new interactive web site, www.azlegislation.com. Web site visitors will have the chance to stay abreast of issues that impact them, as well as engage in the debate with other online community members.
AAA Arizona, the Arizona affiliate of AAA, provides automotive, insurance and auto travel services to nearly 800,000 Arizona members. Annually, AAA’s Emergency Road Service responds to more than 450,000 calls for help on the streets and highways of the state as well as providing insurance, travel, and financial services to AAA members and motorists. Since its founding in 1927, AAA Arizona has been a leading advocate for the safety and security of all travelers. In 2008, AAA was ranked the No. 1 “socially responsible” brand by Landor’s BrandAsset® Valuator. |
