Pennsylvania enacts Slow Down to Get Around

Pennsylvania has become the latest state of 22 in the country so far to pass Slow Down to Get Around laws.

The Slow Down to Get Around provision, which was part of House Bill 1414, was signed into law Oct, 19. Since it went into effect in December, it has:

• required motorists approaching and passing a stationary solid waste collection vehicle to reduce and maintain a safe speed for weather, road conditions and traffic in order to proceed with due care and caution; and
• provided for the use and display of yellow strobe lights that can be seen by traffic in both directions.

At a recent press event in the Pennsylvania State Capitol rotunda, Pennsylvania Waste Industry Association (PWIA) members, who represent the private sector companies that collect and dispose of municipal solid waste in Pennsylvania, were joined by the leadership of the National Waste & Recycling Association (NWRA), American Automobile Association – Central Penn and the Pennsylvania Independent Waste Haulers Association to raise awareness of the new law.

“Today, Pennsylvanians were reminded to slow down and save lives of Pennsylvania workers while they are collecting waste and recycling materials along our roadways. Slow Down to Get Around laws carry an important message—take your time and slow down around garbage trucks. We applaud Pennsylvania for joining 21 other states that have now passed similar laws that serve as a national best practice to prevent unnecessary accidents and injuries,” said Darrell Smith, the president and CEO of National Waste and Recycling Association, during the press event.   

NWRA says its member companies have been diligent in providing advanced safety training for drivers and those who hop-off the trucks to make collections. However, drivers who are distracted, or just going too fast, are a major hazard for waste collection workers, NWRA says.

“The Pennsylvania Waste Industries Association has been leading the charge to encourage Pennsylvania drivers to slow down to help keep workers safe on our streets,” says Tim O’Donnell, the president of PWIA, in a written statement. “These men and women provide an essential service in our communities every day - including our waste and recycling collection workers, fire & police officials and individuals providing roadside assistance - and it’s our obligation to remind motorists to slow down to help keep them safe.”

House Bill 1414 provides for yellow and white lights for tow trucks, red lights for vehicles used by probation officers in the First Judicial district of Philadelphia, internal blue lights for privately-owned vehicles used in answering emergency calls and internally mounted lights in certain fire police vehicles, in addition to yellow strobe lights for solid waste collection vehicles.

“This new law is a big win for our workers and our industry,” says Gary Roberts, the executive director of the Pennsylvania Independent Waste Haulers Association (PIWHA). “We send men and women out each day to do the important work of keeping our communities clean. The Slow Down law will help make sure they return home safely to their families each night.”