NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) – It’s not uncommon when your car breaks down, that you get out of your car to check and see what’s happened.
However, often drivers don’t move over, because legally they don’t have to.
Now, AAA is pushing to expand Tennessee’s “Move Over Law” and increase the punishment for those who don’t follow it.
Here are the new fines.
HOUSE BILL 92
By Gillespie
HB0092
000607
– 1 –
AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 55,
Chapter 8, relative to traffic safety.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 55-8-132(e), is amended by deleting
the language “not less than one hundred dollars ($100)” and substituting instead the language
“not less than two hundred fifty dollars ($250)”; by deleting the language “not less than five
hundred dollars ($500) nor more than”; and by deleting the language “not less than one
thousand dollars ($1,000)” and substituting instead the language “two thousand five hundred
dollars ($2,500)
How about a frigging educational blitz rather than income for the State? There are plenty of people that can design and execute a proper campaign for Move Over. And lots of signage all over the state’s highways to keep reminding people to act safely.
But truly educating cost time and money, something that politicians hate unless it lines their pockets. Punish you is easier.
I’m fine with an education campaign. But. Let’s also try to educate what people should do when they need to pull over: move over as far as possible onto the shoulder, put out triangles or flares, and so forth.
Curiously, it appears that the incidents cited are covered by the existing law. But, sure, expanding the situations covered will surely cause drivers to obey older aspects of the law that they’ve been disregarding, right?
Maybe promoting better situational awareness on the part of drivers would be a good idea?
Heh. If only.
You can’t teach those who don’t wish to be educated. Therein lies the problem.