Roadside Heroes: Slow Down, Move Over

With the holidays behind us and spring around the corner, there is a lot to look forward to. While our members tend to need us most during the cold and unpredictable winter, we are here to help our members throughout the year, even the various stages of the long-drawn-out Minnesota spring.

As we prepare for the season ahead, our minds remain on traffic safety. We must remember that being broken down on the side of the road is more than an inconvenience—it is extremely dangerous. That is why we refer to our tow truck drivers as “roadside heroes” because they rescue stranded motorists every day, and they also have families to go home to. AAA is reminding all drivers to “Slow Down, Move Over” to protect both workers and stranded motorists.

Despite the existence of a Move Over law in all 50 states, the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that nearly a quarter of people (23%) are unaware of the law in the state where they live. Also, 42% of drivers who do not comply with Move Over laws think that their behavior is not dangerous to people on the side of the road.

On average, a tow trucker driver is killed every other week. But it’s not just the tow truck drivers and other emergency responders being killed on the side of the road. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety estimates that an average year will see 566 people killed and more than 14,000 injured when dealing with a disabled vehicle on the side of the road.

AAA has been instrumental in getting Move Over laws passed in all states. These laws apply to police, firefighters, tow truck drivers, road workers and sanitation personnel. Locally, AAA Minneapolis—with our neighboring club ACG—will be launching a “Move Over For Me” campaign to bring greater awareness to this important issue. Please review our campaign materials and help us advocate for traffic safety.

Tae K. Kim

President & CEO, AAA Minneapolis