Update to Colorado law aims to keep emergency responders safe on the road

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- October 19 is "Slow Down, Move Over” Awareness Day in Colorado, and it's aimed at educating drivers on the updates to the previous law.

For the past decade, Colorado drivers have been required to move at least one lane away from any emergency vehicle, tow truck, or public service vehicle on the shoulder with its lights on.

The "slow down" portion to the move over law was added in September 2020. It requires drivers to slow down to a safe speed if they're not able to safely move over at least one lane.

Safe speed means:

• Drivers must slow to 25 MPH or less in a 40 MPH (or less) zone
• Drivers must slow by at least 20 MPH in a 45 MPH (or higher) zone

Even though updates to the law are fairly new, the Colorado State Patrol says they’ll still be writing tickets for careless driving to those who don't abide by it.

Tickets for careless driving can cost over $150.

All 50 states have a version of the move over law, but according to Colorado State Patrol, only 30% of drivers in the country know about their state's laws.

The "slow down, move over" law in Colorado is especially personal to State Patrol troopers.

"Trooper Cody Donahue was investigating a crash when a vehicle failed to move over and struck and killed him," says Master Trooper Gary Cutler with the Colorado State Patrol. "We really want to lead that push so people know about this law and know what they have to do."

The Colorado State Patrol says the “slow down" portion of the law only applies if you cannot safely move over from the vehicle on the shoulder.