Motorists Fail To "Move Over" And Hit Officer
Attorney
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During the 2002 Florida legislature, the state's move-over laws were passed.
They require motorists to move over or slow down when they see an emergency or law enforcement vehicle on the side of the road. If possible, a motorist is suppose to vacate the lane closest to the emergency vehicle.
Makes sense. It might have avoided an officer being hit Tuesday.
The officer was just trying to move a trash can out of a southbound lane on the Buckman Bridge.
The lights were reportedly flashing when Sheriff's Office Deputy C.S. Humphrey stopped in the emergency lane just around rush hour.
One car stopped due to the obstruction and the police cruiser when a second car driven by Michelle Crowe, of Orange Park, failed to stop in time and struck the first car, which spun around and hit Humphrey.
The FHP said Humphrey suffered very minor injuries and did not require medical treatment. Accident investigators estimated that both vehicles sustained $5,000 damage
.
Many drivers just aren't following the well-publicized move-over law. This was the second crash involving an officer within 30 days.
In that case an FHP Trooper Kenneth Washington was in his patrol car along I-95 writing up a report when an SUV sideswiped his vehicle and struck and killed a tow-truck operator working on the previous wreck. Since that crash, Washington has been involved in another one--his fifth!
"I think everybody is just in a hurry. I can be in an emergency mode and people won't get out of the way. They see my lights, they try to pass me," Washington said.
Our roads seem to be becoming more and more dangerous every day.
For more information on this subject matter, please refer to the section on Car and Motorcycle accidents.