Deputies in Lee County were out enforcing Iowa’s “Move Over, Slow Down” law Tuesday.
WGEM reports that the operation took place on Highways 61 and 27 Tuesday evening. Dump trucks waited on the side of the road with their emergency flashers on, deputies would then pull over drivers who did not move over or slow down as they passed. The price for such a violation is a $200 ticket, authorities estimated that they issued 10 in the first hour of the operation.
Authorities say their goal is safety, saying that many accidents have taken place because drivers don’t move over or slow down when utility vehicles are on the side of the road. This is the first time Lee County has run an enforcement operation like this.
Iowa law states that motorists must move over if possible, or slow down whenever a stopped Emergency (Law Enforcement, Fire, or Ambulance) or utility vehicle has their flashing lights turned on.
This operation takes place just days after an accident in Pike County, Illinois where a stopped police cruiser was hit by a semi-truck during a traffic stop. The driver, a 76-year-old trucker from Hannibal, MO did not move over, he was cited for Improper Lane Usage and Failure To Yield to a Police Officer.
