Chapter 198 Oregon Laws 2009

AN ACT

HB 2040

Relating to roadside assistance; creating new provisions; and amending ORS 811.147.

Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:

SECTION 1. ORS 811.147 is amended to read:

          811.147. (1) 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)] (2) 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 five miles per hour under the posted speed limit, 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)] (3) 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.

SECTION 2. The amendments to ORS 811.147 by section 1 of this 2009 Act apply to offenses committed on or after the effective date of this 2009 Act.

Approved by the Governor June 2, 2009

Filed in the office of Secretary of State June 2, 2009

Effective date January 1, 2010

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