Caltrans, AAA aim to raise awareness of 'Slow Down, Move Over' law's new protections

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Public safety officials are attempting to raise awareness of newly implemented protections in California's "Slow Down, Move Over Law," which has been expanded to apply to all drivers and passengers stranded on roadsides.

Although the law has been in effect for years, its new provisions went into effect Jan. 1. It was initially designed to protect emergency roadside workers.

"If a driver sees, now, an emergency worker -- a police car, fire truck, ambulance, tow truck, Caltrans vehicle -- with overhead lights flashing at the side of the road, they must either get out of that lane closest to the emergency vehicle or slow down to a reasonable speed," said Doug Shupe, a spokesman for the American Automobile Association. "Now, the law requires you to do the same for any vehicle that's stopped at the roadside with their emergency flashers on."

At the site of a University Park news conference scheduled for 10 a.m. a memorial photo was displayed that showed a tow truck driver who was killed in a roadside accident.

Carlos Trejo was fatally struck by a vehicle while helping a AAA member.

"A driver that did not slow down or move over, did not give him the space that he needed to do his job safely," Shupe said. "Tragically, this is someone that we have lost. His co-workers talk about what a wonderful man he was, what a great grandfather he was.

"These are the tragedies that we hope this law is going to prevent," Shupe told ABC7. "

Trejo's widow is expected to speak at the Tuesday morning news conference, which will be attended by officials from AAA, Caltrans and the California Highway Patrol.