Minnesota governor celebrates passage of Slow Down to Get Around legislation

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz held a ceremonial bill signing June 11 to celebrate the passage of HF 1188 legislation that requires motorists to slow down and move over as they approach certain vehicles, including waste and recycling collection trucks.

This legislation, commonly known as Slow Down to Get Around (SDTGA), is a priority for the National Waste and Recycling Association (NWRA). 

“Safety for our waste and recycling employees and for the community members we serve in Minnesota is our single highest priority. This bill shines a spotlight on the dedicated workers who are at risk while simply doing their job,” Bill Keegan, president of the Shakopee, Minnesota-based Dem Con Companies and the Minnesota Chapter Chair of the NWRA, says. 

NWRA says its member companies have been diligent in providing advanced safety training for drivers and those who hop off the trucks to make collections, but distracted and speeding drivers remain a major hazard for waste collection workers.