Gov. Phil Murphy recently signed a new law which requires motorists to slow their speed or move over one lane to avoid a disabled vehicle with hazard lights or other warning devices displayed. If possible in the existing safety and traffic conditions, motorists are to change lanes. If a lane change is impossible, prohibited by law or unsafe, the motorist is required to slow down to a reasonable and proper speed for existing road and traffic conditions, which speed is less than the posted speed limit. Failure to do so carries with it a substantial fine. A prior law imposed similar requirements when police or tow truck drivers were on the scene. Now the updated law will serve to protect stranded motorists on the roadside or shoulder irrespective of the presence of police or tow trucks.
The American Automobile Association reportedly has expressed gratitude for the new law to Murphy and the New Jersey Legislature, stating that there were 1,874 fatalities of motorists in the United States struck while outside of their disabled vehicles. Of that number and in that same time frame, 41 of those fatalities occurred in New Jersey.
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