NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — With 1,245 work zone crashes across Kansas in 2021, that was an average of 3.4 crashes every day of the year. While 963 of those crashes were property damage only, six people were killed and 387 were injured, and most of those people were motorists. AAA Kansas is looking at further expansion of the state's Move Over law in the coming years.
"Senate Bill 142, we introduced it this year, just to get it on the books," said Shawn Steward with AAA Kansas. "We're planning to spend the rest of this year educating legislators, meeting with legislators and other supporters on this issue and also educating the public in terms of the importance and the need for this."
The bottom line is, if you see a vehicle on the side of the road, no matter what the situation, and there is room to change lanes without endangering yourself, it is safer for everyone to move over.
"It's best addressed at the state level, we're finding," Steward said. "Every state has some level of Move Over law. Now, we're starting to look at ways to enhance those laws to include all disabled or stopped vehicles on the side of the road, including consumer passenger vehicles."
The intent is to work the bill in the Kansas Legislature during their 2024 session.
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