Officials in Denton are reminding the public about a state law designed to protect first responders after a series of collisions this summer in which emergency vehicles have been damaged.
In two cases, police officers or firefighters who were responding to traffic accidents narrowly escaped injury. A third wreck sent two people to the hospital.
The first crash happened on I-35E near Teasley Lane on the morning of July 18th. A driver struck a patrol vehicle, but the officer was not inside.
The second happened on July 30th at the intersection of Carroll Boulevard and West Sycamore Street. A driver hit a UNT Police Department patrol vehicle and a Denton Police patrol vehicle.
The third wreck happened on I-35 near Elm Street. An 18-wheeler hit two Denton Fire Department vehicles. The truck driver was hospitalized with serious injuries. A firefighter was also taken to the hospital for treatment.
"Every one of these crashes has been very different - different times of day, different factors," said Allison Beckwith with the Denton Police Department. "None of them are the same, but it is a disturbing trend."
The Texas Move Over or Slow Down law requires drivers to move over one lane or slow to 20 miles per hour below the posted speed limit when approaching emergency vehicles.
"These emergency vehicles can include law enforcement, tow trucks, utility service vehicles, TxDot vehicles, and highway construction," said Beckwith.
"For every one of them, the law is move over or slow down - and we can't stress that enough. We've had some near misses. We want to get ahead of it before something tragic happens."
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