ODOT joins ‘Move Over Day’ to protect first responders

Something is killing first responders at staggering rates, and the answer is us. So says ODOT, which is joining in a nationwide campaign this Saturday to remind people what they need to do when they encounter emergency vehicles — or any vehicle — on the side of the road: Move over.

Every year, drivers are injuring and killing hundreds of emergency responders as they work to save lives at the scene of traffic incidents:

From 2007-2017, of the 1,641 officers killed in the line of duty, more than one-third (39%) of those were killed in traffic-related incidents. In 2017 alone, 47 officers were killed in traffic-related incidents. According to the National Fire Protection Association, fire personnel are more likely to die while responding to a crash than a fire. Tow operators are particularly vulnerable: The International Towing and Recovery Hall of Fame and Museum in Chattanooga, TN estimates that anywhere between 40-60 tow operators are struck and killed each year, or roughly one per week. These numbers do not include transportation professionals, for which exact numbers are difficult to pin down.

“It is safe to say that one of the most dangerous parts of a first responder’s job is stepping out onto the side of the road, whether it’s for a traffic stop, to assist a motorist or respond to a crash,” explains Justin Guinan, ODOT’s Traffic Incident Management Program Coordinator. “Every state has some kind of ‘Move Over’ law that requires drivers to move over and slow down when approaching stopped emergency vehicles. Ours was recently updated to include all stopped motor vehicles, emergency or not.”

Oregon’s expanded Move Over Law requires drivers to move over to another lane or slow down by at least five miles an hour below the posted speed for any vehicle stopped next to the side of the road displaying hazard lights or other signs of distress. Failure to obey Oregon’s Move Over law is a Class B traffic violation with a $265 fine ($525 if the location is within a safety corridor, school zone or work zone).

“While it doesn’t minimize the danger that the motoring public or our first responders endure on the side of the road, abiding by the Move Over Law does help us do our job and remain safer” says Oregon State Police Lieutenant Patrick Huskey. “Our message is simple: For the sake of the first responders helping at incidents, please move over.”

National Move Over Day was started in 2017 to get every state involved in promoting Move Over laws and responder safety on the same day. It is the third Saturday of October, or October 20 this year. ODOT’s Traffic Incident Management program is running a social media campaign where participants take a picture or video of why they move over and post to Facebook (@OregonTIMResponders) and/or Twitter (#MoveOver).

To participate in ODOT’s Move Over Day campaign visit https://www.facebook.com/OregonTIMResponders/

For more information about Oregon’s Move Over Law, visit https://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/Safety/Pages/Enforcement.aspx

For more information about the Move Over. It’s the Law. campaign, visit https://www.TrafficSafetyMarketing.gov.