LEBANON, Ohio — Changes could be coming to Ohio's "Slow Down, Move Over" law through a bill a Warren County senator introduced.
Sen. Steve Wilson (R-Warren County) said the goal is to reduce confusion and make highways safer for all drivers.
At a press conference Friday, Wilson and the Ohio State Highway Patrol talked about the crashes that happen each year as a result of people not following the current "Slow Down, Move Over" law.
Wilson said this is both a personal issue and serious matter.
He said two AAA employees in Cincinnati have been hit and killed in the last few years while on the job. One of those employees was Keith Skaggs, who was loading a car onto his tow truck earlier this year when a car hit him.
Right now, Ohio's law requires drivers slow down or move over for any law enforcement, fire or EMS vehicles as well as any vehicles with amber or yellow flashing lights, like tow trucks.
Ohio State Highway Patrol said many drivers get confused about when they need to move over.
"66% of people understand that they have to move over for firetrucks, EMS vehicles and police vehicles. That percentage goes down when you start adding ODOT vehicles, the vehicles with amber lights, tow trucks, different things like that," said Lt. Matt Schmenk, the post commander for the Lebanon post of OSHP.
He said that confusion and failure to follow the law can be dangerous.
Since 2018, a car has hit a patrol car stopped on the side of the highway 61 times, causing two deaths and 51 injuries, Schmenk said.
Senate Bill 178would require drivers move over for all cars on the side of the highway with flashing lights, including passenger vehicles.
"It makes it easy for everybody. If you just move over and you have to move over for everyone, there's no conflict as far as who you're moving over for or 'should I move over for this vehicle? I'm not really sure,'" Schmenk said.
AAA has been working with state lawmakers to get bills like this signed into law. So far, they said 18 states have expanded their "Slow Down, Move Over" laws and now Wilson and others in support of this bill hope Ohio will be the 19th state.
"No confusion, flashing light: slow down, move over, save lives," Wilson said.
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