ALBANY — Following the worksite death of CSEA New York State Thruway Authority member Stephen Ebling and an I-81 incident that could have taken the life of another CSEA member, our union is calling on the Governor and state legislature to make the protection of highway workers a top priority during the 2025 legislative session.
Ebling (photo courtesy of NYS Thruway Authority)
Ebling, 58, died after being struck by a vehicle while working on the Silver Creek section of the Thruway on November 4. CSEA and the state Public Employee Safety and Health (PESH) Bureau are investigating.
On October 28, a CSEA member employed at the state Department of Transportation was nearly struck by a box truck on I-81 in the Southern Tier. The box truck driver narrowly missed striking the worker and struck two DOT vehicles at a high rate of speed before leaving the roadway. No injuries were reported in that incident.
In this video screenshot from the New York State Department of Transportation, a CSEA member employed at the state Department of Transportation was nearly struck by a box truck on I-81 in the Southern Tier. Watch the video at https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1113893060386127.
Our union is urging state lawmakers to strengthen existing laws and implement new penalties aimed at ensuring the safety of highway workers and other first responders who work on the state’s highways, as well as better educate the public about the critical need to move over and slow down when approaching emergency and maintenance vehicles. Despite laws in place requiring drivers to move over in these instances, a disturbing number of drivers continue to ignore these laws, putting lives at risk.
“Every day, CSEA members work in dangerous conditions, often within mere feet of speeding traffic. They are not just workers — they are fathers, mothers, sons and daughters who should not have to fear for their lives while performing their jobs,” said CSEA President Mary E. Sullivan. “It is time for lawmakers to recognize the growing threat and take meaningful steps to protect the men and women who maintain and repair our highways. Lives are at stake.”
The call for increased safety measures follows several high-profile incidents over the past month, as well as a growing number over the past year.
In many cases, drivers have failed to follow the law by not moving over or slowing down when approaching work zones or areas where vehicles are on the side of a highway. As a result, workers have been struck by vehicles while performing essential maintenance tasks, exacerbating the already perilous nature of their jobs.
Our union is calling on state leaders to take action during the 2025 legislative session to address this growing crisis and to provide real protection for those who serve on the roads.
— Janice Gavin
About the Move Over Law
On March 27, 2024, New York State’s expanded Move Over Law went into effect. It expanded on the 2010 Move Over Act, which initially included only emergency vehicles. In 2012, an amendment was made to include any vehicle with flashing lights, such as tow trucks and maintenance vehicles.
As of March 2024, the law now covers ANY stopped vehicle on the side of the road. As soon as a driver sees a stopped vehicle, they should immediately slow down and move over one lane if it is safe to do so.
The Move Over law applies to BOTH sides of the roadway and not just the right shoulder. Penalties for violating the law may include fines, points on the driver’s license and increased auto insurance premiums.
