Authorities issue reminder of change in Colorado’s ‘Slow Down, Move Over’ law ahead of Aug. 7 effective date

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- The fact that a state trooper recently had to jump off a bridge to avoid being hit by a suspected drunk driver is an indication to authorities that too many people are ignoring the state's "Slow Down, Move Over" law.

The law, which became effective in 2017, requires drivers to move over one lane, or significantly slow down, for emergency vehicles that are pulled over with their flashers on.

Next Monday, a change in the law takes effect that extends the requirement to any vehicle -- emergency or civilian -- that is pulled over and has flashers on.

Monday afternoon, authorities held a news conference in Denver to officially announce the change and give drivers a week of advance notice; state lawmakers approved the change in a vote this spring.

Attending that news conference were the heads of the Colorado Department of Transportation and Colorado State Patrol, the regional administrator for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and two officials with AAA Colorado.

Last year was the worst in Colorado history for highway deaths with 754, including a record number of pedestrians and motorcycle riders; according to CDOT, that total was the highest in 41 years and represented a 57 increase since 2013.

"As you're driving, your eyes should be up, said Chief Matthew Packard, of the CSP. "You should be able to see that car coming from a long way away -- giving you more than enough time to take that step and move over. And to drivers of personal vehicles, make sure your hazards are on when you're pulled over -- if you're lost, sick or have a breakdown -- so that the traffic behind you will see."

Lawmakers passed the 'Slow Down, Move Over" law after the death of Trooper Cody Donahue in November 2016, who was hit by a semi-truck driver on Interstate 25 while investigating a crash scene just south of Castle Rock; after two mistrials in the case, the driver was convicted of careless driving and failure to maintain a single lane.

Donahue was the third trooper within an 18-month period to be struck and killed by a passing driver on I-25 while conducting a crash investigation or a routine traffic stop; Trooper cadet Taylor Thyfault died in May 2015, and Jaimie Jursevics died that November, not far from where Donahue was killed.

A retired Army colonel from Peyton, Eric Henderson, was convicted of vehicular homicide and tampering with evidence after prosecutors said that he hit Jursevics while drunk and returning from a Broncos football game.

Thyfault was hit while helping a tow truck driver at a crash scene near Boulder; the offending driver is serving a life sentence in prison after prosecutors said that he was speeding through the crash scene and the crash happened when troopers used stop sticks to try and slow him down; he then led troopers on a high-speed pursuit before he was caught; a second trooper, Clinton Rushing, was seriously injured.

Kevin Bagley, the trooper who jumped off a bridge to avoid being hit in Adams County on July 22, suffered serious injuries; the driver was caught and faces charges of vehicular assault and DUI.

Violating the move over law is a misdemeanor with maximum penalties of 90 days in jail and a $300 fine; a violation that injures another person increases the maximum penalties to 18 months and a $5,000 fine; a violation that results in another person's death raised the offense to a felony with maximum penalties of two years in prison and a fine of $100,000.

Skyler McKinley, a spokesman with AAA Colorado, said that the stronger law will be of greatest benefit to communities at higher risk of highway deaths.

"Those folks are much more likely to suffer breakdowns, as they tend to drive older vehicles that need repair," he explained. "They're much more likely to be forced to fix their own vehicle -- at the roadside, on their own. Many are also historically less likely to call the police for assistance."

Since the move over law passed, two more troopers have died under similar circumstances: Corporal Daniel Groves in March 2019 on Interstate 76 near Roggen; and Master Trooper William Moden on Interstate 70 near Deer Trail.

According to the CSP, El Paso County tied for second in the state with Denver County last year for highway fatalities (21) involving impaired drivers, behind Adams County.