Motorists Need to Protect Emergency Workers; It’s the Law in All 50 States

Almost 250 Police Officers have been killed in the US since 1999 due to road way accidents.

71% of Americans Have Never Heard of the "Move Over" Law

In 2017, there were 212 crashes that occurred and almost 17,000 citations issued for failure to move over in Florida, alone! (my home state)

The "Move Over" laws are aimed at protecting emergency responders working along the roadside. All fifty states have passed the laws, which were promoted in response to increasing roadside fatalities in the line of duty. The laws require drivers, upon noticing either emergency vehicle with sirens and/or flashing lights, to move away from the vehicle by one lane, or if that is not possible, slow down to either a reasonable speed or a fixed speed below the limit as defined by local law. This includes law enforcement vehicles, fire trucks, and ambulances.

“The Move Over Law protects those who work on the side of the roadway each day and ensures that they make it home safely to their families,” said Terry L. Rhodes, Executive Director of the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV). “Law enforcement, first responders, service and utility vehicles provide critical services to motorists in one of the most dangerous work environments. It is imperative that motorists abide by the law and move over or slow down for these brave professionals so that they can do their job and Arrive Alive.”

The DHSMV reminds all drivers that to comply with the Move Over law while driving on a multi-lane roadway, they must:

• Vacate the lane closest to the stationary emergency vehicle, sanitation vehicle, utility service vehicle or wrecker and always signal the intention to change lanes.
• Slow down to a speed of 20 mph below the posted speed limit, if a driver cannot move over safely.
• Be prepared to allow those who are attempting to move over into the next lane.

On a two-lane roadway, drivers must:

• Slow down to a speed of 20 mph below the posted speed limit.
• Travel at 5 mph, if the speed limit is 20 mph or less.

Not only does "Move Over" protect the Emergency Workers, but the emergency vehicles can arrive quickly to the situation of need. What if that was YOUR house on fire or YOUR loved one in the ambulance and emergency vehicles were stuck in traffic?

We ALL need to abide by these laws for the safety of emergency workers as well as for others personal losses.

Share this with others to reinforce Safety is 24/7. Be safe and spread the word.....Isabel