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Highlands Today

Cops To Crack Down On Drivers Who Don't 'Move Over'

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By Joe  Seelig | Highlands Today

Published: June 19, 2008

SEBRING — The Highlands County Sheriff's Office, along with other law enforcement agencies in the county and the state, will be warning and ticketing motorists who break the the Move Over Law.
The week-long enforcement is scheduled for June 23 through June 29, Sheriff Susan Benton announced in a press release.

The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles is coordinating it, and Florida Highway Patrol troopers also will be involved.

Since 2002, drivers are required to "move over" or slow down when approaching an authorized emergency vehicle that has its emergency lights on and is stopped along a Florida highway.

On two-lane roadways, drivers must slow to 20 mph below the posted speed limit or to 5 mph if the speed limit is 20 mph or less, unless directed by authorized personnel. Motorists are advised not to stop unless told to.

While driving on an interstate or a multiple-lane road in the same direction, drivers must either get out of the lane closest to the emergency vehicle as soon as it is safe to do so, or slow to at least 20 mph below the posted speed, to avoid crashing into emergency workers.

Violating the law puts emergency personnel in danger and may result in a fine and points on the driver's license of the motorist.

Florida Highway Patrol Lt. James Potter said Wednesday that the patrol will issue warnings in the beginning and citations toward the end of the week.

According to FHP statistics, from 1996 to 2000, motorists in Florida crashed into working law enforcement vehicles stopped or parked along the roadways 1,793 times. These crashes resulted in five deaths and 419 injuries.

On Jan. 31, 2006, sheriff's deputy Roger St. Laurent was injured while issuing a traffic ticket after a passing motorist who did not "move over" struck him.

That hit-and-run motorist was later caught and the violation, captured on the deputy's in-car camera, made national news.

"Had the motorist simply moved over at the sight of the flashing lights, Deputy St. Laurent could have safely done his job," Sheriff Susan Benton wrote in a news release.

The three municipalities will participate, too, said Sheriff's Lt. Keith Starling on Wednesday afternoon.
He said Lake Placid Police will supply one unit and Sebring and Avon Park Police Departments one or two units each. The sheriff's office will have at least six units, Starling said.

Officers will use warnings or citations as the situation calls for, Starling said.

"The actual stops will be for legitimate traffic infractions," Starling said, adding that a second unit will then watch for "move over law" violators.

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