Passing pulled over emergency vehicles?

[jimmy361]

i was getting a tow last night and while the tow truck driver was getting my car ready to be towed i made a comment about a driver who slowed down to get a look and he told me that by law a driver must slow down. I am in Texas by the way if this matters. This brought up a couple of questions to my mind. Is this true? If so at what speed do we have to pass? Is it just the nearest lane?

[deputywave]

i was getting a tow last night and while the tow truck driver was getting my car ready to be towed i made a comment about a driver who slowed down to get a look and he told me that by law a driver must slow down. I am in Texas by the way if this matters. This brought up a couple of questions to my mind. Is this true? If so at what speed do we have to pass? Is it just the nearest lane?

In IN, you have to move over or slow way down.

[ferrara04]

SB 193 requires drivers nearing stopped emergency vehicles-with lights activated -to either slow down or change lanes.

The law states a driver must either vacate the lane closest to the stopped emergency vehicle if the road has multiple lanes traveling in the same direction or slow down 20 miles per hour below the speed limit. (If the speed limit is below 25 mph the driver must slow down to 5 mph.)

Emergency vehicles include police, emergency medical service and fire vehicles.

A violation is punishable by a maximum fine of $200. If the violation results in property damage, the maximum fine increases to $500. If the violation results in bodily injury, the offense is enhanced to a Class B misdemeanor.

The new law was passed in the last regular session of the Texas Legislature and went into effect Sept. 1, 2003.

http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/directo...n/pr011204.htm

[ngcsubutterbar]

a tow truck wouldn't qualify as an emergency vehicle as far as I know. Either he was doing the lookyloo, or he was being a safe curteous driver by slowing down if he couldn't change lanes.

[txinvestigator1]

In Texas, private tow truck are not emergency vehicles and drivers are under no obligation to slow down or change lanes.

And 2003 was actually TWO legislative sessions ago.

[dan1210bso]

in florida if there is an emergency vehicle you either have to go 15 MPH below (i think its 15 it might be more) the speed limit or move over to the next lane or you get a ticket

[scott715us]

In TN, there's no set speed limit as far as how much one has to slow down, just that they have to "considerably" lower their speed. That is of course, if they are unable to switch lanes. If they fail to do either, they can (and will) be cited.

Tow trucks are also included in this law in TN as "recovery vehicles."

TN 55-8-132

(b) Upon approaching a stationary authorized emergency vehicle, when such vehicle is giving a signal by use of flashing lights, a person who drives an approaching vehicle shall:

(1) Proceeding with due caution, yield the right-of-way by making a lane change into a lane not adjacent to that of the authorized emergency vehicle, if possible with due regard to safety and traffic conditions, if on a highway having at least four (4) lanes with not less than two (2) lanes proceeding in the same direction as the approaching vehicle; or

(2) Proceeding with due caution, reduce the speed of the vehicle, maintaining a safe speed for road conditions, if changing lanes would be impossible or unsafe.

(c) Upon approaching a stationary recovery vehicle or a highway maintenance vehicle, when such vehicle is giving a signal by use of authorized flashing lights, a person who drives an approaching vehicle shall:

(1) Proceeding with due caution, yield the right-of-way by making a lane change into a lane not adjacent to the stationary recovery vehicle or the highway maintenance vehicle, if possible with due regard to safety and traffic conditions, if on a highway having at least four (4) lanes with not less than two (2) lanes proceeding in the same direction as the approaching vehicle; or

(2) Proceeding with due caution, reduce the speed of the vehicle, maintaining a safe speed for road conditions, if changing lanes would be impossible or unsafe.

(d) For the purpose of this section unless the context otherwise requires:

(1) “Highway maintenance vehicle” means a vehicle used for the maintenance of highways and roadways in this state and is:

(A) Owned or operated by the department of transportation, a county, a municipality or other political subdivision of this state; or,

(B) Owned or operated by a contractor under contract with the department of transportation, a county, a municipality or other political subdivision of this state;

(2) “Recovery vehicle” means a truck that is specifically designed for towing a disabled vehicle or a combination of vehicles.

(e) A violation of this section is a Class B misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not less than one hundred dollars ($100) nor more than five hundred dollars ($500), or imprisonment not greater than thirty (30) days, or both.

(f) This section shall not operate to relieve the driver of an authorized emergency vehicle, a recovery vehicle or a highway maintenance vehicle from the duty to operate such vehicle with due regard for the safety of all persons using the highway.

[troop256]

Like Scott said a recovery or maintenance vehicle falls under the "move over" law in TN. It's helping a little bit but I was hit the Thurs. night before Christmas weekend this year. I had a car stopped o I-75 nb. I made a passeneger side approach and was talking to the driver. I thought I heard something strange while I was talking to him. I cut him loose (a Marine on leave) went back to my patrol car and noticed that my left side mirror was slammed forward and my spotlight was out. I reviewed the tape and you can tell when this mini van hit my mirror and came very close to the violators car. It slammed the mirror forward so hard that it broke the filament in the spotlight bulb. The mirror didn't break just scratches on the outside of it. Obviously the mini van didn't stop The video showed that the minivan had ample room to merge into the left lane. I guess it was too much trouble.
Had I not made a passenger side approach I would be road debris.
Stay safe!!

[scott715us]

Like Scott said a recovery or maintenance vehicle falls under the "move over" law in TN. It's helping a little bit but I was hit the Thurs. night before Christmas weekend this year. I had a car stopped o I-75 nb. I made a passeneger side approach and was talking to the driver. I thought I heard something strange while I was talking to him. I cut him loose (a Marine on leave) went back to my patrol car and noticed that my left side mirror was slammed forward and my spotlight was out. I reviewed the tape and you can tell when this mini van hit my mirror and came very close to the violators car. It slammed the mirror forward so hard that it broke the filament in the spotlight bulb. The mirror didn't break just scratches on the outside of it. Obviously the mini van didn't stop The video showed that the minivan had ample room to merge into the left lane. I guess it was too much trouble.
Had I not made a passenger side approach I would be road debris.
Stay safe!!

You didn't happen to catch a tag number on camera did you? A**holes...

[chiefhuntr]

Had I not made a passenger side approach I would be road debris. Stay safe!!

Glad you are ok.

Hope you catch the Scoker mom:rolleyes:

[troop256]

Nope! The tag isn't visible on video. I offset to the right on the violators car. I threw my hands up, then went and hid for the night.
It took me several years to get the passenger side approach pounded in my head. Now 99% of my stops are passenger side. I think you get a better view of the interior, passenger reactions etc...AND the not getting plowed over by the soccer mom is a bonus.

[mcsap]

PA requires slowing and or moving over for emergency vehicles and tow trucks. Problem is , its kind of hard to go after someone when you are already busy.