July 8, 2014 - Governor Rick Scott recently signed House Bill 7005 into law. The transportation bill, sponsored by Rep. Frank Artiles (R-Miami), includes a section that adds sanitation and utility vehicles to the existing "Move Over Act." This legislation is meant to help prevent accidents and fatalities caused by careless drivers.
“House Bill 7005 promises to enhance safety on our roads and protect the hard-working waste and recycling workers who serve our state,” said Collier County Sheriff Kevin Rambosk.
According to the National Waste and Recycling Association (NW&RA), being struck by motorists is a leading cause of death for waste and recycling collection employees nationwide. As a nationwide partner, WM is helping NW&RA raise awareness about these preventable accidents to protect all waste and recycling employees.
"Our drivers - and all of our employees - rank among the safest in the industry because safety is one of our core values. We applaud the Florida legislature for taking action that will help protect our employees while doing their jobs," said Tim Hawkins, Area Vice-President at Waste Management.
In the state of Florida, if you see a police officer, firefighter, paramedic, utility or sanitation professional pulled over on the road, you must move over.
Guidelines from the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles include:
•On a two-lane roadway, you are required to slow to a speed that is 20 miles per hour less than the posted speed limit.
•If the speed limit is 20 miles per hour or less, you must slow down to five miles per hour.
•Violating the move over law puts both you and a public safety, sanitation and utility professionals at risk.
•Violating the move over law can result in a fine and points on your license.
For more information visit the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles website.
ABOUT WASTE MANAGEMENT
Waste Management, Inc., based in Houston, Texas, is the leading provider of comprehensive waste management services in North America. Through its subsidiaries, the company provides collection, transfer, recycling and resource recovery, and disposal services. It is the largest recycler in North America and a leading developer, operator and owner of waste-to-energy and landfill gas-to-energy facilities in the United States. The company’s customers include residential, commercial, industrial, and municipal customers throughout North America. To learn more information about Waste Management visit www.wm.com or www.thinkgreen.com.
