Goes into effect Nov. 1 in Oklahoma
A new law goes into effect Nov. 1 that requires motorists to slow down around waste trucks or change lanes when it can be done safely. Motorists could be cited by law enforcement for violating the new law, which was signed by Governor Mary Fallin on April 26.
Recent data from the Bureau of Statistics found that waste and recycling collection is the fifth most dangerous occupation in America in terms of fatalities and injuries. Oklahoma joined 10 other states that have enacted Slow Down to Get Around legislation, including Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, North Carolina, Virginia, Wisconsin and West Virginia.
“We encourage motorists to be aware of the dangers these waste collection workers face and to be cautious when encountering them on the road,” said City Manager Steve Lewis.
A 2014 Harris poll commissioned by the National Waste and Recycling Association found that although most Americans encounter waste trucks on the road each week, only one-third of people slow down near them while nearly 40 percent are actually tempted to speed around them. However, the same survey also found the public supports Slow Down to Get Around legislation once they learned of the rates of accident and injury faced by waste and recycling collection workers.
The city of Norman employs 51 waste collection employees. According to Solid Waste Manager Bret Scovill, none of the drivers have been involved in significant accidents in at least 21 months.
To read the full story, visit http://www.normantranscript.com/news/slow-down-to-get-around-law-goes-into-effect-nov/article_f85509a4-962b-11e6-b22d-37e76502638f.html.