MANHEIM, Pa. — Hundreds of emergency responders in Pennsylvania have been killed while providing roadside assistance. Beginning April 27, new changes to Pennsylvania’s Move Over Law will take effect to prevent future deaths.
In July 2020, Tyler Laudenslager was struck and killed by a driver while providing roadside assistance in Berks County on Interstate 78 west. The Halifax volunteer firefighter of 13 years left behind his wife Holly and their young daughter Riley. However, Laudenslager’s towing company and fire department made sure Laudenslager’s family knew they would not be alone.
“Our family went from a very small family to a very large family between the H&S Towing family and the Halifax Fire Department,” said Deb Laudenslager, Tyler’s mother.
On Saturday, emergency responders from all over gathered in Manheim, Lancaster County to raise awareness about Pennsylvania’s Move Over Law. New changes are taking effect next month that require drivers, who cannot merge into the left-hand lane when approaching an emergency response, to slow down by at least 20 mph less than the posted speed limit.
Retired State Police Sergeant Bob Bemis knows firsthand the importance of this law. Six years ago, a driver hit him while he was responding to a car fire on Interstate 81. He is still dealing with those injuries and he is considered one of the lucky ones.
“I gained membership into a pretty exclusive club. It’s a club that no one really wants to join, but the bottom line is that we don’t want any more members of this club. We want to make sure that everybody understand that it’s their obligation to slow down and move over,” Sgt. Bemis said.
As hundreds of emergency responders honored the lives lost while working roadside, we are reminded of what the Move Over Law is all about: preventing their tragic deaths and protecting their legacies.
“I definitely think Tyler is watching over us. Tyler was very happy, on top of the world, with his little girl who was 10 months old when he was killed,” Laudenslager said. “It’s the little things that they’re there for us, every step of the way.”
Starting April 27, will be tougher penalties for drivers who do not move over or slow down when approaching a traffic stop or disabled car on the side of the road.
Other changes to the law include:
- Creates a new point system that imposes two points for failure to merge into the lane not next to the emergency response area.
- Sets fines at $500 for first-time offenders, $1,000 for a second offense, and $2,000 for a third or subsequent offense.
- Requires a 90-day license suspension for a third or subsequent offense. The license suspension also applies to incidents that seriously injure or kill another person. The suspension is six months if the person injured or killed is an emergency service provider or was near a disabled vehicle.
- Sets additional fines of up to $10,000 for violators who injure or kill an emergency service responder or a person in or near a disabled vehicle.
- Doubled fines for several traffic violations when committed in an emergency response area when first responders are present.
A similar law—Title 75, Section 4572.2—requires motorists to move over or slow down when approaching a stationary trash or recycling truck.