BC Highway Patrol Wraps Up Education Campaign To Slow Down & Move Over

BC Highway Patrol has wrapped a month-long effort to persuade drivers to Slow Down and Move Over when they see an emergency vehicle, road maintenance vehicle, or any official vehicle with flashing lights stopped at the side of a BC Highway.

Superintendent Mike Coyle says multiple targeted operations happened throughout the province to ensure emergency responders and maintenance workers end their shift and return home to their loved ones.

More than 450 tickets were written province-wide, but Coyle says the real point was education and awareness.

Drivers, by law, must reduce their speed and move into the furthest lane of traffic away from stopped vehicles (if possible) with flashing red, blue, or yellow lights.

Now that the campaign is over, BC Highway Patrol encourages all drivers to continue following the 70/40 rule:

• When the normal speed limit is 80 km/h or higher, drivers must slow down to 70 km/h or less
• When the normal speed limit is below 80 km/h, drivers must slow down to 40 km/h or less

Drivers who fail to obey the law can face a $173 violation ticket.

To learn more, visit BC RCMP.