With so many crashes involving emergency vehicles and first responders around Texas, Montgomery County Precinct 4 Constable Rowdy Hayden decided it was time to start really enforcing the “Slow Down Move Over” law in Texas. Wednesday morning deputies took to I-69 looking for violators. As vehicles were stopped for violations a second unit would stand close by. If a driver failed to slow down and move over they were stopped and cited. That citation is a whopping $500. Most motorists stopped and said they knew about the law but weren’t really thinking. One 18-wheeler that came close to hitting a deputy was stopped. The driver from Kentucky was 84-years-old. Some drivers ended up in more trouble just by not slowing down and moving over. One man was stopped and had narcotics in plain view. He was arrested for possession and transported to the Montgomery County Jail. In all the day shift made 43 traffic stops, issued 28 citations, issued 14 warnings, and made 2 arrests. The night shift was also assigned to the same task, however, several things hampered that effort. One of the first vehicles stopped for no tail lights and a paper tag that could not be read. That driver was arrested for a parole violation and the truck was stolen last year in Harris County. The next traffic stop resulted in an arrest after the vehicle had Agent paper tags and one of the occupants had drugs in his possession. He was arrested and the vehicle was towed. A female occupant worked at a dealer and had printed an agent tag for the vehicle they were driving. The Slow Down Move Over law states that when approaching an emergency vehicle parked in the lane or on the shoulder you must vacate the lane next to it or slow to 20mph below the posted speed limit. The law also includes tow trucks with their emergency lights and construction or highway official vehicles with lights activated. The only exception is that if there are cones placed immediately next to the vehicle the law does not apply. The fine ranges from $500 to $1250 for the first offense. The second offense is $1000 to $2000. In addition, is the vehicle fails to slow or move over and there is an injury it is an automatic Class B misdemeanor which can be a fine or jail. Constable Hayden plans to continue this operation on various roadways in East Montgomery County, including SH 99, SH 242, FM 1314, FM 1485, and FM 2090. On several of those roads where it is just one lane in each direction, you must slow to 20mph below the posted speed limit.
