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Cops caution drivers to be aware with Move Over, Slow Down
CANFIELD
Ohio State Highway Patrol Trooper Ken Robbins described his experience with a distracted driver from July as one of his worst fears.
A mangled patrol cruiser was on display at the Canfield Fair for the Wednesday afternoon news conference “Move Over, Slow Down,” to show the aftermath of failing to move over for public-safety vehicles.
Robbins, a husband and father of two boys, was involved in his second accident in 25 years on the job in July when truck driver Glenn Blank, 73, of Baden, Pa., lost control of his vehicle, striking Robbins’ cruiser while Robbins was speaking with a tow-truck driver.
“It shook me up really bad,” Robbins said. “I can still see it, smell it and hear it.”
According to the accident report, Robbins heard the truck coming, pushed the tow-truck driver out of the way and was struck by his own cruiser. He suffered minor injuries and is back on the job.
Robbins was involved in another accident involving a semi-truck in 2008.
“It’s common courtesy and decency to just get over,” he said.
Not only is it a courtesy, but it’s also a law, said OSHP Canfield Post Commander Lt. Jerad Sutton.
The law requires all drivers to move over one lane when passing by any vehicle with flashing or rotating lights parked on the roadside.
According to the Ohio Department of Transportation’s website, the law is applicable to all interstates and state highways and can be enforced by any law-enforcement officer.
It is punishable by fines of $300 for first violations, $500 for second violations within a year of the first and $1,000 for more than two violations in a year.
If it is not possible to move over, officials said the best option is to at least slow down, be cautious and be aware.
“Ohio’s ‘Move Over’ law is designed to protect the lives of everyone who works on or uses our roadways,” Sutton said.
The law was enacted in 2004 to reduce risk to police officers, emergency responders and tow operators. In 2013, it was expanded to apply to every stationary vehicle with flashing lights including road construction, maintenance and utility crews.
Robbins stressed that because of lack of awareness, these types of accidents happen very often.
“Mahoning County has seen far too many emergency vehicles and officers struck as a result of distraction,” Sutton said.
According to ODOT’s website, these types of crashes kill one tow-truck driver every six days; 23 highway workers and one law-enforcement officer every month; and five firefighters a year.
“It happens every day, and people have to be aware of this,” Robbins said. “Every day we see accidents where people just did not slow down or get over. I don’t know what else there is to say except people have to do it.”