PENNSYLVANIA, USA — If you see an emergency vehicle on the side of the road, there are two words that you need to remember: Move over.
It's an important law that protects you and emergency first responders.
"The side of the road is our office, so we encourage you to, please, know the law and know that you have to move over or slow down for a first responder working on the side of the road," said Cpl. Brent Miller, with a public information officer with the Pennsylvania State Police.
It's a message state police want to remind drivers about after Monday's deadly crash on Interstate 95 in Philadelphia that took the lives of two state troopers and a man from Allentown.
Cpl. Miller says the law is simple.
"Drivers approaching an emergency response area must move over to a lane further away, and if they are unable to do so, they have to slow down of no more than 20 mph below the speed limit," said Miller.
An emergency response area could be a crash scene, a traffic stop, a tow truck on the side of the road helping a disabled vehicle, even an emergency vehicle with its lights flashing.
Last year, more than 2,500 people were cited for not obeying the law.
The year before that, 2,800 were given tickets.
State police say there is no reason for people not to follow this law.
"The information that's out there on social media, press conferences, PennDOT, and law enforcement agencies pushing the 'move over' message. It's really no longer an 'I didn't know' excuse. So please, for the safety of all first responders out there working on the side of the road as their office, do us a favor and move over," said Miller.
Those who choose not to follow the Move Over Law can face fines starting at $500.
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