Make Room for "Move Over" Enforcement, Aug. 31

By News Team
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Wed, Aug 31st, 2011
Posted in Police Reports

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ST. PAUL - Statewide law enforcement agencies will increase enforcement of the Ted Foss Move Over law, Aug. 31, to educate motorists that emergency responders need room on the road to conduct their work safely. The Minnesota Department of Public Safety Office of Traffic Safety administers the one-day effort.

State Patrol Trooper Ted Foss was killed Aug. 31, 2000, by a passing vehicle as he was responding to a crash scene on the shoulder of I-90 in Winona.

Minnesota's "Move Over" Law:

· When traveling on a road with two or more lanes, you must keep over one full lane away from stopped emergency vehicles with flashing lights activated - ambulance, fire, law enforcement, maintenance and construction vehicles.

· Reduce speed if you are unable to safely move over a lane.

· Failing to take these actions endangers personnel who provide critical and life-saving services. Fines can exceed $100.

"The job of emergency responders is to help and assist the motoring public, and it is important that motorists assist us by moving over so we can provide our services safely," says Lt. Eric Roeske of the State Patrol.

To-date in 2011, the State Patrol cited 728 motorists for Move Over violations, while 23 trooper vehicles were hit and nine troopers were injured.

Move Over law education and enforcement efforts are a component of the state's core traffic safety initiative, Toward Zero Deaths (TZD). A primary vision of the TZD program is to create a safe driving culture in Minnesota in which motorists support a goal of zero road fatalities by practicing and promoting safe and smart driving behavior. TZD focuses on the application of four strategic areas to reduce crashes - education, enforcement, engineering and emergency trauma response.

To-date in 2011 there has been 211 traffic deaths compared to 258 at this time in 2010.

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