The Traffic Law-Enforcement Program includes a variety of projects and counter-measures which include:

 

Speed Enforcement, Equipment and Training 

 

Speed Enforcement:  Overtime Enforcement grants to address the issue of speeding drivers. 

 

Speed Equipment:  Grants to assist police agencies in acquiring speed-enforcement equipment.

 

Speed Management:  Monitors, analyzes and provides topical expertise regarding Oregon speed laws, legislation and speed issues at the state and local levels.  Provides expertise to Oregon law-enforcement and judicial agencies.

 

Speed Training:  Provides training and certification for radar and lidar through DPSST. 

 

Public Information and Education:  Provides media information and public outreach regarding Speed and following-too-close issues which are closely related.

 

Speed Goal:  Reduce deaths and injuries that are speed-related on State / Interstate Highways, County Roads and City Streets in Oregon.

 

 

 

 

Enforcement:  Provides overtime grants and develops programs and enforcement strategies to effectively modify behavior focusing on the Top 10 driver error codes in Oregon Crashes.  Oregon Crash Data is analysed each year and enforcement teams are developed to focus on the worst problem roads in Oregon with the intent of reducing crashes, deaths and injuries.

 

Multi-Agency Traffic Teams:  These teams consist of City, County and State Police agencies within the same county.  They work together and assist one another with high crash locations and target the worst driving behaviors that cause these crashes within each agencies jurisdiction on a rotating basis.  These types of enforcement teams create a significant, visible deterrent to dangerous driving behavior and create a much higher level of media involvement and public knowledge of traffic enforcement in the selected communities.

 

Training:  Provides training and financial support in a variety of areas related to Traffic Law-Enforcement which includes:  Radar and Laser Training, Crash Investigations, Police Motor Officer training and support, Traffic Enforcement technology and support, Electronic forms development and time saving automation projects.

 

Training Goal:  Improve the enforcement of traffic safety laws and regulations intended to reduce death, injury and property damage and provide needed community service, by providing additional law enforcement training in key traffic safety areas.

 

Automated Enforcement Programs 

 

Photo Red Light:  This program is funded and supported directly by each city that operates a photo red light program.  The Safety Division reviews each cities report to the legislature and provides an executive summary to each legislative assembly on the use of this technology in Oregon.

 

Photo Radar:    This program is funded and supported directly by each city that operates a photo radar program.  The Safety Division reviews each cities report to the legislature and provides an executive summary to each legislative assembly on the use of this technology in Oregon.

 

Speed Overtime Grants 

 

Speed overtime grants are not on an open competitive process rather they are based on annual speed-related crash data.  The Safety Division analyizes the crash data and determines effective countermeasures and contacts specific police agencies directly to offer specific enforcement projects based on identified problem areas. 

 

Speed Equipment Grants 

 

In the last five years, the safety division has purchased hundreds of pieces of traffic safety related police equipment for City, County and State police agencies.  With this equipment, police in Oregon are better equipped to enforce traffic laws related to speed.  Other types of equipment such as "in-car" video cameras have been purchased through our Impaired Driving program and local regional safety coordinators to help with prosecution of impaired and aggressive drivers.  Some radar trailers have been purchased for community-based speed awareness campaigns.

 

Based on available funding, speed-equipment grants are announced via our local regional transportation safety coordinators and requests for proposal are sent out to local police agencies via US Mail.  A general application process follows and agencies that show a need for speed equipment are selected from the group until the funds have been expended for that year.  Agencies that have a demonstrated speed-related crash problem are given priority in the selection process. 

 

 

 

Drivers must now move over to a non adjacent lane (or slow down) when approaching the rear of a tow truck or roadside assistance vehicle that is providing assistance to a disabled vehicle on the roadway. The original law covers police, fire and ambulance vehicles.

 

Now, you must move over if possible to another available lane (or slow down if you can't move over or if the move would be unsafe) when approaching the rear of an Emergency vehicle, tow truck or roadside assistance vehicle that has it's amber, red or blue flashers activated.

 

Slow down means reducing your vehicles speed by at least five miles per hour below the posted speed of the roadway.  HB 2040 requires drivers to slow down at least 5 mph below the posted speed if making a lane change (moving over) is unsafe or impossible (i.e. two-lane road.)

 

Most importantly, drivers should be alert. If you can safely move over when approaching a disabled vehicle receiving assistance, do so. If you can't, then slow down!

 

The fine for this violation is currently $287.00 ($400.00 if the location is within a Safety Corridor, School Zone or Work Zone).

 

The Law (adding tow trucks and roadside assistance vehicles) Becomes Effective: 

 

 

A partnership between the Oregon State Police and the Oregon Department of Transportation regarding the "Move Over" law has created new media opportunities and additional public outreach materials which are posted below.  The Zip File was created to allow you to download all available Oregon Media related to the "Move Over" Law.

 

(Right Click on any of the links below and select "Save Target As" to save any of the

media to your computer for viewing or forwarding). 

 

The Move Over Law - Oregon Text- Amended  

ORS 811.147

 

The law specifies the following:

 

811.147 Section I. is amended to read:

As used in this section, "roadside assistance vehicle means a vehicle with warning lights that responds to requests for repair assistance from motorists with disabled vehicles".

 

(1) A person operating a motor vehicle commits the offense of failure to maintain a safe distance from an emergency vehicle, roadside assistance vehicle, tow vehicle or ambulance if the person approaches an emergency vehicle, roadside assistance vehicle, tow vehicle or ambulance that is stopped and is displaying required warning lights and the person:

 

(a) On a highway having two or more lanes for traffic in a single direction, fails to:

 

(A) Make a lane change to a lane not adjacent to that of the emergency vehicle, roadside assistance vehicle, tow vehicle or ambulance; or

 

(B) Reduce the speed of the motor vehicle to a speed that is at least 5 miles per hour under the posted speed, if making a lane change is unsafe.

 

(b) On a two directional, two-lane highway, fails to reduce the speed of the motor vehicle, to a speed that is at least five miles per hour under the posted speed limit.

 

(2) The offense described in this section, failure to maintain a safe distance from an emergency vehicle, roadside assistance vehicle, tow vehicle, or ambulance, is a Class B traffic violation. [2003 c.42 §2]