Bill proposal aims to increase safety for Nevada road workers
CARSON CITY — Drivers may soon have to be more cautious around Nevada Department of Transportation vehicles.
Assembly Bill 17, heard Tuesday in the Assembly Committee on Transportation, would require drivers to approach NDOT vehicles by using the same safety measures in place for emergency vehicles. Those steps include slowing down, being prepared to stop and changing lanes if possible.
The bill would cover NDOT vehicles with flashing amber warning lights or non-flashing blue lights.
Reid Kaiser, NDOT’s assistant operations director, said the legislation came to the forefront after the death of an NDOT employee in March 2015. Ronald Raiche Jr., 47, of Battle Mountain, was working along the shoulder of Interstate 80 in Lander County when a semi-truck’s mirror struck him.
Contact Ben Botkin at bbotkin@reviewjournal.com or (775) 461-0661. Follow @BenBotkin1 on Twitter.
