When responding to an emergency call on the side of the road, it is important for fellow motorists to protect responders by moving over.

Corporal Chris Harris with the Georgia State Patrol Post in Rome says the “Move Over” Law was created to protect emergency responders on the side of the road from being bumped, struck or seriously injured by passing vehicles.

“Basically what the ‘Move Over’ Law says is that if you come upon an emergency vehicle on the side of the road, that if other traffic will allow, then you are to move over one lane, or get over and slow down to a safe speed, until you pass that public safety worker or wrecker driver that’s on the shoulder of the road.”

Citations for violating the law can be issued, but Corporal Harris says it can also be a time to educate motorists.

“One of the things we can do in our enforcement actions is we can actually instruct the driver and to make him aware of why it’s important to get over for us, or if they can’t get over to just slow down, that way you don’t have a car coming by you running 55 miles an hour because that can be a very harrowing experience to have that happen two or three feet away from you.”

The “Move Over” Law in Georgia took effect July 1, 2003.

 

WRGA