THP reminds drivers to move over for emergency vehicles
JACKSON, Tenn. — In order to help avoid crashes like the one below in Colorado, Tennessee enacted the Move Over Law in 2006.
“What it says or requires is that motorist when they approach a stopped emergency vehicle, the motorist is supposed to move over into the adjacent lane of travel if it’s safe to do so. If not, then they’re supposed to slow down,” said Sgt. Robert Barham, with the Tennessee Highway Patrol.
Barham says the Tennessee Highway Patrol isn’t always able to educate people on this law if they break it.
“We try to enforce it as much as we can. A lot of times when we’re at a traffic stop and somebody violates it, we’re not always able to catch up to that person,” Barham said.
Barham says not complying with the law could result in jail time.
He also says watching these types of crashes helps him when he pulls someone over.
“When you see stuff like that, it brings awareness to you and makes you always know or think in the back of your mind, ‘This could happen to me.’ I’m always watching my backside, or my six as we say, to see what the other vehicles that are approaching are doing,” Barham said.
Barham wants people to be more vigilant when driving, and remember that the law applies to every emergency vehicle.
“When you are in your motor vehicle, you feel safe, and when we’re outside of our vehicles, we’re at the liberty of y’all,” Barham said.
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