6.5.25 – thv11.com – LITTLE ROCK, Ark.
After two troopers were hit by a vehicle during a traffic stop, Arkansas State Police officials are now urging drivers to abide by the Move Over Law.
Arkansas State Police (ASP) proved a point last week in a way they probably wished they didn’t have to.
Two of their troopers were injured after they were hit by a vehicle as they were performing a traffic stop.
Since then, officials with ASP have been urging drivers to abide by Arkansas’s Move Over Law to help keep police and all first responders safe.
“We want our medics to clock in and work all day. But we want them to go home so they can see their families and rest for their next shift,” explained Mack Hutchison, the Clinical Manager at Metropolitan Emergency Medical Services (MEMS).
When emergency service responders such as police or medical personnel are called out to an emergency, there is no telling where they could end up, including on the side of a road.
That is something that Hutchison said his crews know all too well.
“It’s not a safe place on the side of the road. It’s one of the most dangerous situations we can be in. And then when you’re also trying to multitask, focus on patient care and providing care to that patient while moving them to a safe ambulance, it just makes the situation that much more dangerous,” he described.
To help keep law enforcement safe in those dangerous situations, five other states, including Arkansas, have implemented the Move Over Law.
However, it also goes beyond just law enforcement vehicles.
“That law requires, anytime you see an emergency vehicle on a shoulder road, it could be a police car, fire truck, a wrecker, or even now an ARDOT vehicle,” said Captain Brad Lann with the Arkansas State Police Highway Patrol Administration.
So, the next time you see flashing lights on the road, the new law says you have to move as far over as possible.
Captain Lann said this law is aimed at also giving emergency responders the room to do their job safely.
“Any emergency lights you see on the side of the road, you’re required to move over to the furthest lane possible. That’s not just the next lane, but the furthest Lane possible. Because a lot of times, emergency responders are working close to the roadway,” he said. “We want to be sure they have enough room, and they don’t have to worry about getting hit by a moving vehicle.”
Hutchison shared tips for drivers trying to move over while on the roadways.
“And then watch that person in front of you and behind you, too. If you’re driving, make sure that they’re seeing what you’re seeing. And they may hit their brakes really quick. It could cause a secondary accident. Keep your eyes open,” he said.
If you are able to, and you do not move over, then you could be fined up to $500.
“If you can’t pull over and get out of that close lane, it’s okay to slow down,” Hutchison said.
Pulling over can also help protect emergency responders that are moving around a scene.
“You never know when a door is going to open or someone may walk out in a blind spot from that vehicle,” he added.