Yesterday, about one hundred tow-truck drivers formed a procession on East Molloy Road in Mattydale during the funeral of their brother tow-trucker, Todd Young, who was killed when a tractor trailer careened into him as he was attending to a broken down vehicle on the shoulder of the Thruway in Manlius, a mile east of Interstate 481. The fellow tow-truck drivers were thinking, no doubt, “but for the grace of god, there go I”. All of them, if they have been in the business for any significant amount of time, have had “close calls”; vehicles speeding by within feet, or even inches, of them as they dutifully attend to motorists in need on the shoulder of New York’s Thruway and other highways.
And that’s why a new law in New York, which takes effect January 1st, 2012, requires motorists to slow down and move over for “hazard vehicles”, which includes tow trucks. The law, called the Ambrose-Searles Move-Over Act, as it is currently written (read my prior blog) applies only to “emergency vehicles”, such as police cars. But the amended law will cover “hazard vehicles”, too, including tow trucks. Violators face fines of up to $150 for the first offense, $300 for a second offense and $450 for a third offense.
So, fellow motorist, join this Central NY car accident lawyer in my pledge to slow down, move over, and . . .
Keep safe!
Mike Bersani
Email me at: bersani@mbk-law.com I’d love to hear from you!
Michael G. Bersani, Esq.
mbk-law.com
Central NY Car Accident Lawyer
Michaels Bersani Kalabanka
1-315-253-3293