LANSING (WWJ) -- Michigan State Police (MSP) are cracking down on drivers who disobey the state's 'Move Over' law.
The law is intended to keep first responders and others who work on the roadways safe-- by requiring drivers to slow down and move over when they see the emergency lights.
“With at least 13 instances just this year of patrol vehicles being struck while conducting traffic stops, and seven MSP members killed while working on the side of the road in the department’s history, this is an important message we need everyone to hear,” said MSP Director Col. James F. Grady II.
Under the law, drivers must move over a lane when they see an emergency or service vehicle with its lights on the side of the road. They must also slow down to at least 10 MPH below the posted speed limit. If the driver cannot safely move over, he or she must decrease speed by to least 10 MPH below the posted speed limit and proceed with caution.
The law applies to police, fire and EMS vehicles, as well as construction and tow trucks.
Officers are conducting "a one-day, high visibility enforcement effort" on Monday, July 20, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. across Michigan and in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Kentucky.
“We always prefer education over enforcement," Col. Grady said. "...but during this single-day operation officers will be looking for and addressing dangerous driving behaviors, including motorists who disregard the state’s Move Over law.”
