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NEWS RELEASE
CONTACT:
Jessica Brady, spokesperson, AAA Public Relations, |
MAJORITY OF MOTORISTS WORRY ABOUT THEIR SAFEY WHEN STRANDED ON THE
AAA Reminds Drivers to Abide by the Move Over Law this Labor Day Weekend
TAMPA, Fla. (Aug. 24, 2011) ? Five million motorists are projected to drive in the Southeast during the last summer holiday of the year and AAA reminds drivers to recognize the Move Over law in their respective state. Florida, Georgia, and Tennessee all have Move Over laws in place to protect stranded motorists and emergency response personnel, such as first responders, police officers, and tow truck drivers from oncoming traffic. Move Over laws require motorists to slow down and move over one lane to provide stranded motorists and emergency personnel safe clearance.
The majority of motorists (97%) said they worry about their own safety when stranded on the side of the road with a disabled vehicle, according to AAA’s Consumer Pulse™ survey. When asked why they did not move over a lane in the past, more than half of motorists (83%) said they couldn’t move over safely and about one in four drivers (21%) said they noticed the vehicle too late.
“With millions of drivers on the roadways this holiday weekend, it’s critical motorists do their to abide by the Move Over law and it’s equally as important for stranded motorists to take basic safety precautions if they break down on the roadside,” said Joanna Newton, spokesperson, AAA Auto Club South. “It’s equally as dangerous for anyone to be standing on the roadside with a disabled vehicle, regardless if they are a trained professional with safety equipment or a family with kids waiting for help to arrive.”
Since 1999, more than 150 U.S. law enforcement officers were killed in situations where drivers failed to abide by the Move Over law and this does not represent the number of injuries, according to Move Over America. This number also does not take into account the number of first responders, motorists, or tow truck drivers injured or killed by a motorists who did not slow down and/or move over.
Although the majority of motorists (95%) said they are concerned about the safety of other motorists stranded on the side of the road, only half (50%) think other motorists are concerned about their safety when stranded on the roadside, according to AAA’s Consumer Pulse™.
Safety Tips for Motorists Broken Down on Roadways
- AAA Auto Club South strongly recommends any motorist stranded on the roadside take extra precautions to make sure they are safe and to help ensure the safety of other motorists on the roadways:
- Pull off to the right side of the road onto the shoulder where you are NOT in danger of getting struck by oncoming traffic
- Turn on your hazard lights to make yourself as visible to other motorists as possible
- If you are stranded on the roadway and concerned for your safety, call the police so they can send an officer to manage traffic
- If you need to exit your car to wait for help, do so as far away from your vehicle and traffic as possible
AAA Auto Club South is the fourth largest affiliate of AAA and serves more than 4.1 million members in Florida, Georgia, Middle/West Tennessee, and Puerto Rico. Since its founding in 1938, AAA Auto Club South has worked to protect and advance freedom of mobility and improve travel safety.
The AAA Consumer Pulse™ Survey was conducted online among residents living in AAA Auto Club South territory from February 8 -11, 2011. A total of 635 residents completed the survey. The survey has a maximum margin of error of +/- 3.9 percentage points. Overall survey responses were weighted by age within state to ensure reliable and accurate representation of the adult population (18+) in Florida, Georgia, and Tennessee.