‘Operation Yellow Jacket’ initiative to focus on speed enforcement, Pennsylvania’s Move Over Law

Pennsylvania State Police and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation are conducting “Operation Yellow Jacket” on June 30 and July 1. This joint initiative focuses on speed enforcement and Pennsylvania’s Move Over Law along Indiana County highways to enhance public and worker safety.

“Operation Yellow Jacket” is a program where Pennsylvania State Police Troopers conduct speed enforcement from PennDOT highway maintenance vehicles. Troopers inside these vehicles communicate observed violations via radio to nearby patrol Troopers. This program has been in place for several years across Pennsylvania, allowing both agencies to work together to keep highways safe for everyone, including emergency responders and highway maintenance workers.

During “Operation Yellow Jacket,” Troopers will be posted at select locations to focus on speed enforcement and the enforcement of Pennsylvania’s Move Over Law.

Pennsylvania’s Move Over Law requires drivers approaching an emergency response area who are unable to safely merge into a lane farther away from the response area to “pass the emergency response area at a speed of no more than 20 miles per hour less than the posted speed limit and reasonable for safely passing.” An emergency response area is where an emergency vehicle has its lights flashing, or where road crews or emergency responders have lighted flares, posted signs or try to warn travelers.

The Move Over Law aims to save the lives of emergency responders. Police officers, firefighters, emergency medical services personnel, tow operators and highway maintenance workers perform various duties along roadways, often placing themselves at significant risk of harm.

The law also requires that drivers passing a disabled vehicle, if it is possible, pass in a lane not adjacent to that of the disabled vehicle. If that is impossible, illegal or unsafe, drivers must pass the disabled vehicle at a rate of speed that is no more than 20 miles per hour less than the posted speed limit. Disabled vehicles are covered by the law when they display at least two markings, such as vehicular hazard signal lamps, caution signs or road flares.

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