The Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT) is reminding drivers that the state’s updated move-over law takes effect Wednesday, Sept. 3.
Beginning tomorrow, drivers will be required by law to slow down and move over when approaching all stopped vehicles and vulnerable road users on the side of the highway. This includes pedestrians, bicyclists, people in crosswalks, and agricultural vehicles or equipment. Previously, the move-over law applied only to emergency and roadside assistance vehicles.
This change is a result of the Nebraska Legislature’s passage of LB 530, an omnibus public safety bill, earlier this year.
Other safety provision updates include:
- Increased speeding violation fines in all categories for the first time since 1996. Under the new law, fines will increase as follows:
⦾ 1-5 mph over: $50 (up from $10)
⦾ 6-10 mph over: $75 (up from $25)
⦾ 11-15 mph over: $125 (up from $75)
⦾ 16-20 mph over: $200 (up from $125)
⦾ 21-35 mph over: $300 (up from $200)
⦾ 36 mph or more over: $400 (up from $300)
- Expanded definition of reckless driving to include speeding violations more than twice the posted limit.
- Enhanced criminal penalty for motor vehicle homicide, elevating it to a Class IV felony if a driver’s actions cause another person’s death.
- Authorization for NDOT to temporarily reduce speed limits during adverse weather, environmental conditions, emergencies, and traffic congestion.
NDOT says traffic engineers are developing and installing signage for the updated move-over law. The agency is also creating a policy for variable speed limit reductions and will keep records of when and how speed limits are temporarily changed once LB 530 takes effect.