Connecticut § 14-283b - Motor vehicle operator required to move over or reduce speed when approaching emergency vehicle that is stationary or traveling significantly below speed limit and nonemergency vehicle that is stationary and located on shoulder.

§ 14-283b. Motor vehicle operator required to move over or reduce speed when approaching emergency vehicle that is stationary or traveling significantly below speed limit and nonemergency vehicle that is stationary and located on shoulder.

Sec. 14-283b. Motor vehicle operator required to move over or reduce speed when approaching emergency vehicle that is stationary or traveling significantly below speed limit and nonemergency vehicle that is stationary and located on shoulder. (a) For the purpose of this section, “emergency vehicle” means any vehicle with activated flashing lights (1) operated by a member of an emergency medical service organization responding to an emergency call, (2) operated by a fire department or by any officer of a fire department responding to a fire or other emergency, (3) operated by a police officer, (4) that is a maintenance vehicle, as defined in section 14-1, or (5) that is a wrecker, as defined in section 14-1, “police officer” has the meaning set forth in section 7-294a, and “highway” has the meaning set forth in section 14-1, provided such highway has two or more travel lanes that proceed in the same direction.

(b) (1) Any operator of a motor vehicle on a highway when approaching one or more emergency vehicles that are stationary or traveling significantly below the posted speed limit and located on the shoulder, lane or breakdown lane of such highway shall (A) immediately reduce speed to a reasonable level below the posted speed limit, and (B) if traveling in the lane adjacent to the shoulder, lane or breakdown lane containing such emergency vehicle, move such motor vehicle over one lane, unless such movement would be unreasonable or unsafe.

(2) Any operator of a motor vehicle on a road that provides for two lanes of undivided traffic proceeding in the opposite direction when approaching one or more emergency vehicles that are stationary or traveling significantly below the posted speed limit and located on the shoulder, lane or breakdown lane of such road shall immediately reduce speed to a reasonable level below the posted speed limit until safely clear of the emergency vehicle.

(c) Any operator of a motor vehicle on a highway when approaching one or more nonemergency vehicles that are stationary and located on the shoulder, lane or breakdown lane of such highway shall, if traveling in the lane adjacent to the shoulder, lane or breakdown lane containing such nonemergency vehicle, move such motor vehicle over one lane, unless such movement would be unreasonable or unsafe.

(d) (1) Any person who violates the provisions of subsection (b) of this section shall have committed an infraction, except that if such violation results in the injury of the operator or any occupant of an emergency vehicle, such person shall be fined not more than two thousand five hundred dollars and, if such violation results in the death of the operator or any occupant of an emergency vehicle, such person shall be fined not more than ten thousand dollars.

(2) Any person who violates the provisions of subsection (c) of this section shall have committed an infraction.

(P.A. 09-121, S. 1; 09-187, S. 44; P.A. 12-19, S. 1; P.A. 16-151, S. 3; P.A. 17-230, S. 14; P.A. 23-40, S. 32.)

History: P.A. 09-187 redefined “police officer” in Subsec. (a); P.A. 12-19 amended Subsec. (a) to redefine “highway” and amended Subsec. (c) to rephrase provisions and make technical changes; P.A. 16-151 amended Subsec. (b) by replacing provision re stationary emergency vehicles with provision re emergency vehicles that are stationary or traveling significantly below posted speed limit, effective July 1, 2016; P.A. 17-230 added new Subsec. (c) re moving over for nonemergency vehicles that are stationary and redesignated existing Subsec. (c) re violation of Subsec. (b) as Subsec. (d)(1) and amended same by adding Subdiv. (2) re violation of Subsec. (c); P.A. 23-40 amended Subsec. (b) to designate existing provision as new Subsec. (1), redesignate existing Subdivs. (1) and (2) as Subparas. (A) and (B) and add Subdiv. (2) re reducing speed when approaching emergency vehicle on a road with two lanes of undivided traffic proceeding in opposite direction, amended Subsec. (d)(1) to add “or any occupant” and made a technical change.