A NEW crackdown that’s coming in a matter of days could see drivers face fines up to £1,250 for a simple first offense.
A range of law changes are coming to a major US state on September 1 – impacting areas such as education, medical marijuana, public schools, voting, public safety and consumer protections.
But for drivers, there’s one they’ll need to worry about in particular – requiring them to have the foresight to slow down and move over if necessary.
According to the Forth Worth Star-Telegram, the so-called “Move Over, Slow Down” law has been expanded after Senate Bill 305 recently passed.
The law tweak, coming to Texas, is designed to enhance road safety with an aim to protect workers and vehicles stopped on the side of the road.
It instructs drivers to reduce their speed and change lanes – if possible – when approaching certain stopped vehicles with flashing lights on the side of the road.
But now, in addition to emergency vehicles, the law applies to tow trucks, garbage trucks, parking enforcement vehicles, animal control vehicles, TxDOT vehicles, toll operator cars and other service vehicles.
Failing to do so could result in a misdemeanor, with fines ranging from $500 to $1,250.
Repeat offenses or those who cause incidents that cause property damage or injury can be hit with even higher fines or more severe penalties.
The report states that Senate Bill 305 was introduced to protect workers performing essential duties on the roadside, such as tow truck operators, sanitation workers and animal control crews – who are all at high risk of being struck by passing vehicles.
MOVE OVER, SLOW DOWN
The ruling says that, in a situation involving an aforementioned vehicle which is stopped on the road, drivers on a road with multiple lanes must move out of the lane closest to the stopped vehicle.
But if changing lanes is not possible, possibly due to traffic, then drivers must slow down significantly – to at least 20 mph below the posted speed limit.
If the speed limit is 25 mph or less, drivers must slow to 5 mph.
Law enforcement officers will monitor compliance – especially in high-risk areas where roadside workers are frequently present and will likely hand out fines.
This comes as the city of Austin is getting ready for the school year to begin, with statistics showing the Austin Independent School District (AISD) serves over 70,000 students with staggered start times across 116 campuses.
This also includes 5,000 teachers and almost 4,000 support staff like custodians, bus drivers, cooks and teaching assistants.
But despite staggered schedules, morning traffic will increase significantly, especially around 8:30 am.
Ahmed Darrat, the chief product office of transportation data and analytics company INRIX, said: “Obviously, roads that are much closer to schools are going to have more congestion than arterial roads that aren’t really anywhere near a school pickup or drop off point.”
The first few days of school are notoriously chaotic as parents and students navigate new routines.
Another issue is a reduction in walking and biking to school, which is due to suburban sprawl and safety concerns.
This, in turn, contributes to heavier car traffic.
“All of that plays into the decisions we make and our travel patterns,” said Carol Lewis, a former professor of transportation studies at Texas Southern University.
“The way our cities are designed, the way we live.”
But increased traffic and risky driving behaviors, such as sudden U-turns or mid-block drop-offs, elevates the risk of accidents around school zones.
New September driving laws and rules
Starting September 14, new speed cameras will be turned on in Florida and threaten with $100 fees On September 1, drivers in South Carolina will have to watch where they put their hands under a new hands-free law Also, on September 1, certain vehicles operating in Texas will have to get a special permit More drivers will be forced to get dozens of hours of training before getting their license under a new law And drivers have until September 30 to collect a $7,500 tax creditHence then, the article about drivers face 1 250 fines under new september 1 highway crackdown tow and garbage trucks could catch you out was published today ( ) and is available on The U.S. Sun ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
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