[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 129 (Tuesday, August 2, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Page S3865]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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 SENATE RESOLUTION 734--SUPPORTING THE GOALS AND IDEALS OF A NATIONAL 
                           MOVE OVER LAW DAY

  Mr. BLUMENTHAL (for himself and Mr. Braun) submitted the following 
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, 
and Transportation:

                              S. Res. 734

       Whereas the Senate wishes to recognize traffic incident 
     management responders (as described in the Traffic Incident 
     Management Handbook of the Federal Highway Administration), 
     which include law enforcement, fire and rescue, emergency 
     medical services, tow truck operators, and transportation 
     workers;
       Whereas, due to the increasingly high rate of distracted 
     drivers on the roadway, many traffic incident management 
     responders lose their lives while performing their duties 
     each year;
       Whereas, in 2021, 65 traffic incident management responders 
     were killed in the United States due to roadside collisions;
       Whereas the Federal Highway Administration and the National 
     Highway Traffic Safety Administration of the Department of 
     Transportation host the Crash Responder Safety Week annually 
     in November as a national effort to--
       (1) protect traffic incident management responders who are 
     at the scene of highway crashes; and
       (2) remind the public of their responsibility to use 
     caution when driving near roadside incidents involving 
     traffic incident management responders;
       Whereas each State has a move over law, which has 
     correlated directly with a safer environment along the 
     roadsides of the United States for traffic incident 
     management responders and stranded citizens;
       Whereas move over laws generally require motorists to move 
     at least 1 lane over when there is an emergency or rescue 
     activity taking place on the shoulder or side of the roadway, 
     or, if unable to do so safely, to slow down and pass the 
     scene with caution;
       Whereas the Government Accountability Office report 
     entitled ``Emergency Responder Safety: States and DOT Are 
     Implementing Actions to Reduce Roadside Crashes'' (GAO-21-
     166) noted that State officials cite raising public awareness 
     as the most prevalent challenge to move over laws; and
       Whereas providing traffic incident management responders an 
     enhanced opportunity to inform the motoring public about 
     these laws is critical to the public safety: Now, therefore, 
     be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) supports the goals and ideals of a National Move Over 
     Law Day; and
       (2) urges the national, State, and regional incident 
     management organizations--
       (A) to spread awareness and promote the existence of, and 
     adherence to, State move over laws; and
       (B) to educate the public further on the dangers and loss 
     of life that occur if State move over laws are not faithfully 
     observed.

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