Around the nation, motorists outside stranded vehicles are killed by drivers who don’t slow down and give them a lane of space. Between 2016 and 2020, eight Nebraska drivers were killed in such incidents.
That’s why Saturday, Oct. 15 is officially “Slow Down Move Over Day.” AAA Nebraska’s Brian Ortner talked to KLIN News about what the state’s laws do – and don’t do – to protect drivers and vehicles.
“In Nebraska,” began Ortner, we have, just like [all other] states, a slow-down-move-over law in place across our state. But that law doesn’t apply to all vehicles. It only covers a select few, like first responders, emergency roadside services, and utility vehicles. It doesn’t cover individual motorists and some municipal vehicles.”
“Slowing down and moving over is so important when you’re on the roads, as a driver and as someone who’s encountered an unexpected incident with their vehicles. It can save lives.”
AAA advises drivers to remain alert for any vehicles that are stranded or have their flashers on and to slow down and move over one lane when they encounter such things. AAA says stranded motorists should turn their hazard lights on and pull over as far as possible on the shoulder to create more distance between them and traffic.