Slow Down and Move Over. It’s a pretty straightforward rule to follow, but we’ve made it even simpler to keep roadside workers safer.
In a nutshell: if you see any vehicle stopped roadside with flashing red, blue or yellow lights on a BC highway, slow down and move over to pass.
Or, more specifically, the Slow Down, Move Over rule states:
Drivers must slow their speed to 70km/h when in an 80km/h or over zone, and 40km/h when in an under 80km/h zone. If travelling on a multi-lane road, the driver must move into another lane to pass when passing stopped vehicles with a flashing light, where safe to do so.
Whether the vehicle is a police, fire, ambulance, tow trucks, maintenance contractors, Commercial Vehicle Safety Enforcement vehicles, park rangers and conservation officers, please obey the law. We made the change to the rule because before it stated “official vehicles,” but our stakeholders, including the BC Road Builders and Heavy Construction Association, raised concerns that the previous regulation didn’t include/protect all roadside workers. For example, maintenance workers are frequently required to stop on the side of the road for inspections or highway maintenance. These workers are at equal or greater risk than many of the workers covered under the old regulations.
So we updated it.
This change will improve safety for all those working our roadsides, including highway maintenance workers, utility workers, land surveyors, animal control workers and garbage collectors, reducing the risk of them being struck by passing vehicles. Please note that the law also protects people who work for Canada Post, delivering mail to community mailboxes along rural highways and roads. These workers operate either private or Canada Post vehicles equipped with flashing amber lights, that they turn on while stopped.
Please drive safely, for you and for those using our roads as well.
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