Amended Indiana driving law in spotlight following recent road crashes
Indianapolis, Indiana – Recent incidents on the roads of Indiana have underscored the importance of an updated law targeting driver behavior in the state.
The amended version of the “Move Over or Slow Down” law, which came into effect on July 1, now necessitates that drivers on roads with at least two lanes maneuver aside when a car is stranded on the roadside.
Originally, this law only mandated drivers to change lanes for emergency vehicles parked by the side of the road. However, the updated law now extends this to include immobilized vehicles flashing their hazard lights. Should it be unfeasible to switch lanes, the law stipulates that drivers must reduce their speed to 10 mph below the designated speed limit as they pass the incapacitated vehicle.
Non-compliance with this law might result in the issuance of a penalty ticket.
In a statement last month, Indiana State Police Sgt. Brian Walker stressed that the primary concern is not the quantity of tickets issued. “The point of the conversation is traffic safety and what we could be doing and should be doing to make our roadways safer,” he affirmed.
Additionally, the updated law strictly forbids drivers from stopping, standing, or parking alongside an interstate, barring an emergency situation. For stranded drivers, the state police advise them to dial 911 and remain securely in their vehicle, seatbelt fastened, until assistance arrives.
In a tragic accident on Saturday afternoon, a man identified as 45-year-old Michael Shaw from Portland, Oregon, was fatally hit by an oncoming semi-tractor/trailer. He had been standing outside his disabled pickup truck on the Indiana Toll Road in Steuben County when he ventured into the right lane of the interstate.
Subsequently, on Monday morning, an Indiana State Police vehicle was struck while a trooper was investigating a crash scene on Interstate 70 in the Indianapolis area. Sgt. John Perrine disseminated images of the collision on social media, reiterating the importance of adhering to the new law.
It’s not just a courtesy, it’s the law, and now includes ALL vehicles stopped on the side of the road in Indiana as of July 1st,” Perrine stated. This is Trooper Beltran’s car, he was crashed into this morning on the side of I-70 while investigating a crash.
🟡 SLOW DOWN. MOVE OVER 🟡
It’s not just a courtesy, it’s the law, and now includes ALL vehicles stopped on the side of the road in Indiana as of July 1st
This is Trooper Beltran’s car, he was crashed into this morning on the side of I-70 while investigating a crash pic.twitter.com/cLza5Gg11b
— Sgt. John Perrine (@ISPIndianapolis) July 10, 2023
No information has been released regarding any potential injuries resulting from this crash.
