ISP wants to strengthen the state's Move Over Law. Here's what troopers want changed - KCCI Des Moines
Iowa —
The images are becoming all too common on Iowa roadways, twice in the last 10 days, Iowa State Patrol Troopers have been hit while working on the side of the road.
The first happened on I-35 near Mason City on Friday, Jan. 14.
Lt. Dana Knutson was working a separate crash scene on I-35 when a semi slid off the road and hit him, while in his squad car, in the median.
"(I) saw another semi start to jackknife and come towards me," he said. "Put my patrol car in drive and just drove in the median to get as far away from him as I could."
His car was hit and he was sent to the hospital, but has since recovered and is back on the job.
The other crash involving Troopers from The Iowa State Patrol happened on I-35 in ISP District 2 near Osceola. There, two troopers were standing outside of their patrol cars working a separate crash scene when a semi lost control and ran into the back of one of the cars, according to ISP.
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Lt. Knutson says he has had close calls before while working crash scenes and stopping drivers.
"When you're up at the side of the car, talking to another driver, or you know, in your car, there really isn't any place for us to go," he added.
Now, The Iowa State Patrol wants to strengthen the state's Move Over Law to allow it to function similarly to the state law where drivers pass a stopped school bus with its stop sign out. The goal is to allow troopers to use their dash camera or write down a license plate if someone drives by and doesn't move over. Then, a ticket will be issued to the owner of that car. It would then be up to the owner to prove who was driving, according to Sgt. Alex Dinkla, Public Information Officer with The Iowa State Patrol.
"Usually if we're on the side of the road, we're tied up," said Lt. Knutson. "We can't turn around and stop a car."
The current law applies to anyone on the side of the road with hazard lights on. It also includes first responders, construction workers, tow operators and more. It is unclear if the proposed change would allow those workers to record license plates as well.
"The sooner that wording would come into effect, the more people it would help protect," Lt. Knutson added.
Currently, passing a stopped school bus in the state carries a heavier fine and longer jail time than the state's move over law. Kadyn's Law in Iowa, named after Kadyn Halverson who was hit by a pickup while trying to cross the road in a school bus, suspends a driver's license for thirty days. If someone violates it twice, the suspension moves up to 90 days and to 180 after the third violation. It also carries a maximum 30-day jail sentence for the first offense and one year for the second or third offense. For the state's move over law, drivers face a fine of $100 dollars and potential suspension of a license if the driver hit something or injured someone.
source: https://www.kcci.com/article/iowa-state-patrol-wants-to-strengthen-the-states-move-over-law-heres-what-troopers-want-changed/38875026
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