West Virginia drivers must move over or slow down for roadside responders

Crash Responder Safety Week runs November 2–6, with a reminder for West Virginia drivers: state law requires them to move over for stopped emergency vehicles when safe and slow down when they cannot change lanes.

The West Virginia Governor’s Highway Safety Program detailed those duties in a November 2 release from the state Department of Transportation. The state’s Move Over law covers any stopped vehicle displaying flashing or hazard lights, flares or warning signs, disabled passenger cars included, as My Buckhannon reported in October.

“Our traffic incident responders answer the call in all conditions on roadways across West Virginia,” Governor’s Highway Safety Program Director Jack McNeely said in the release. “When emergency personnel are working on the roadside, they deserve our full attention and respect. Every driver has a responsibility to slow down, move over, and stay alert so these dedicated men and women can return home safely to their families at the end of their shift.”

“National firefighter fatalities have declined significantly over the past several decades, yet roadway incidents remain a persistent threat. Across the emergency response community, dozens of responders are still struck and killed by vehicles each year. These are not simply statistics; they represent firefighters, police officers, EMS personnel, tow operators, and highway workers who never made it home. We must continue improving how we protect responders at highway incidents, but motorists have an equally important responsibility: slow down, move over, and give us room to work,” Fairmont Fire Department Captain Dusty Lambert said in the release.

The program offered four steps for drivers approaching responders or roadside workers:

• Move over: On roads with multiple lanes going the same direction, leave the lane next to the stopped vehicle when a safe lane change is possible.
• Slow down: When a lane change cannot be made safely, travel at a safe speed well below the posted limit. State law caps that speed at 15 mph on undivided roads and 25 mph on divided highways.
• Avoid distractions: Set phones aside and watch for responders, flares, reflectors and warning signs.
• Expect the unexpected: Watch for drivers ahead who brake or change lanes suddenly.

Details about the week are available at respondersafety.com. Readers can learn more about the highway safety program at highwaysafety.wv.gov or by calling 304-926-2509.