Pennsylvania’s Move Over Law says drivers approaching an emergency response area should move over into the lane farther away or slow down.
State highway officials are driving that message home ahead of National Move Over Day, which is coming up this Saturday, Oct. 21.
A few weeks ago on Route 8, a Shaler Township police officer’s vehicle was struck head-on while the officer sat in his vehicle in a construction zone. He’s returning to the job this weekend.
Back in April, a vehicle ran into a South Strabane Township fire ladder truck as the truck responded to a crash on I-70 East.
All three scenarios are serious reminders of the dangers emergency responders face on highways every day.
“So we know that 23 roadside workers and first responders lose their life every single year and thousands more are injured, unfortunately, while they’re working on the side of the road,” said AAA Spokeswoman Tiffany Stanley.
Those are national statistics. Locally, state police and PennDOT say aggressive driving is a huge problem.
“Whether it’s doing traffic enforcement or responding to a disabled motorist or crash. It can be very unnerving for an officer or a first responder as traffic is zipping by, " said Lt. Dale Brown from Pennsylvania State Police.
PennDOT says last year there were 7,248 aggressive driving-related crashes, the highest number since 2005.
“Until you’re standing on that side of the road and you feel that wind rushing by you, you don’t really know what it’s like,” said Brown. “So please, I just ask that everybody would slow down and save a life.”
From Oct. 23 through Nov. 12, you can expect to see more police presence to deter aggressive driving.
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