GOSHEN COUNTY – The Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) is reminding area residents, moving over for flashing lights isn’t an option, it’s the law. 

“Effective July 2018, the Wyoming Statute states that when an emergency vehicle or an authorized municipal, public utility or highway construction or maintenance vehicle is stopped or is moving at less than 20 miles per hour on or within three feet of a roadway with lights or other emergency signals activated,” the Wyoming Department of Transportation states in the Wyoming Rules of the Road Driver License Manual for 2021. 

There are several different types of emergency vehicles throughout our county. We have police, fire, and emergency medical services but often, we forget some of our other area responders. 

According to the Wyoming Highway Patrol (WHP), 1,970 crashes have occurred involving first responders and highway maintenance vehicles, in Wyoming since 2008. 

Wyoming State Statue 31-5-224 states when an authorized emergency vehicle is parked, making use of visual signals, the driver of every other vehicle must slow to a speed that is 20 mph less than the posted speed limit, except when otherwise directed by law enforcement.

The statue also states when driving on an interstate highway or other highway with two or more lanes, if you are traveling in the direction of the emergency vehicle, merge into the lane furthest from the emergency vehicle, expect when directed otherwise by law enforcement. 

“You’re probably used to being asked to slow down and use caution around highway construction, but you should also be aware that not all road work takes place in cone zones,” Doug McGee, WYDOT Public Affairs Officer said in the departments Move Over Law video clip. “It’s common to see maintenance and utility crews preforming work that’s short lived and highly mobile.” 

“On a mobile operation they might work in a sport for 10 seconds to two or three minutes, then we move on,” Ken Sharp, WYDOT Maintenance Crew Leader in Cheyenne, explained. “People really need to pay attention all the time to our arrows and our messages on our boards.”

Since 2016, 12 Wyoming Highway Patrol vehicles have been struck by passing vehicles while they were preforming routine traffic stops, according to the WHP, and a citation of $235 can be issued for law violations.