Colorado: "Move Over Law" still largely ignored by drivers

The death of trooper Cody Donahue has raised new awareness of the "Move Over Law" and also new questions about why officers don't approach a vehicle on the passenger side. Colorado passed the law 11 years ago.

El Paso County Deputy Jason Garrett is glad Colorado has a "Move Over Law." However, he doesn't rely on it when making a traffic stop. "It's a very regular occurance that folks don't yield that inside lane and move over," says Deputy Garrett.

Friday's tragedy is the latest reminder of what can happen when drivers don't move over.

Lieutenant Brian Pearson from the Fountain Police Department says "My wife has actually asked me is it still worth it to stop a car anymore. I mean you see accidents where cops get hit by cars. I tell her yes, it's still a feasible thing to do because I have a job to do."

Lieutenant Pearson says officers in Fountain, like El Paso County Deputies, are also told which side of a car to approach. "I've done both ways over the course of my career and it's dependent on a lot of factors," says Lt. Pearson.

For example, the reason for the stop or whether the car is stolen. A passenger side approach generally offers more protection from traffic, but a driver's side approach generally offers more protection from the driver.

"As long as you're able to see a potential threat, you're much more easily able to deal with that situation," says Sgt. Garrett.

The Colorado State Patrol won't comment yet on whether it will re-examine its own practices, in light of the second trooper killed by a passing driver in just over a year.

In Colorado, drivers who don't abide by the "Move Over Law," which includes moving to the left side to let emergency vehicles pass you, can expect a minimum of a $170 fine with surcharges and four points off your license.