HDOT Reminds Motorists of ‘Move Over Law’ in Wake of New Year Fatalities

In the first nine days of 2020, there have been four traffic-related fatalities in the state, including three pedestrians.

Sylvia Elizabeth Ravaglia, 42, of Waimea, was among those killed after she was fatally struck by a vehicle while running along Kawaihae Road on New Year’s Day.

In the wake of these deaths, Hawai‘i Department of Transportation is urging motorists to drive with caution and obey all traffic laws including the move over law, which requires drivers to slow down to a reasonable speed that is safe under the circumstances and if possible make a lane change in order to leave one lane between the driver and the emergency situation.

“To keep everyone safe we are all required to slow down and move over when approaching an emergency situation on or to the side of the roadway. Moving over is an easy way to save a life and that should be important to all of us,” said Deputy Director Ed Sniffen, Hawaii Department of Transportation Highways Division.

The move over law applies to all first responding vehicles such as police, fire and ambulances and includes the Freeway Service Patrol (FSP) and tow trucks. For additional information on the statute please click here.

HDOT continues to partner with law enforcement agencies and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration initiatives such as the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over and the Click It or Ticket campaigns. The efforts include sobriety checkpoints and other law enforcement actions to help save lives and educate the public.

The traffic fatality data is updated weekly on the HDOT safe communities webpage which includes information regarding the Walk Wise Hawaii program promoting pedestrian safety as well as additional HDOT efforts to keep the traveling public safe. A link to the safe communities page can be found by clicking here.