MISSISSIPPI EMERGENCY PERSONNEL IN DANGER AT TWO ACCIDENT SCENES
Friday was a busy afternoon for local emergency and law enforcement officials with a variety of traffic accidents occurring throughout the day, but according to local fire officials, two traffic accidents on Interstate 59 posed a danger for emergency personnel due to motorist failing to follow a new Mississippi law. Beginning July 1, the legislature instituted a new law deemed the ‘Move-over Law’ that requires a motorist to travel with caution and move over into a lane not adjacent to emergency vehicles.
Bill 2057 states in part, “Upon approaching a stationary authorized emergency vehicle, when such vehicle is giving a signal by use of flashing, blinking, oscillating or rotating lights, as authorized under Section 63-7-19, a person who drives an approaching vehicle shall: Proceeding with due caution, yield the right-of-way by making a lane change into a lane not adjacent to that of the authorized emergency vehicle, if possible with due regard to safety and traffic conditions, if on a roadway having at least four lanes with not less than two lanes proceeding in the same direction as the approaching vehicle; or proceeding with due caution, reduce the speed of the vehicle, maintaining a safe speed for road conditions and being prepared to stop, if changing lanes would be impossible or unsafe.”
Fire officials said that while working two traffic accidents on Interstate 59 on Friday, many motorists did not move over, putting those working the scenes at risk for injury. “We had numerous drivers fail to move over, which is now state law,” said Jones County Fire Council Public Information Officer Lance Chancellor. “When emergency vehicles are lining the roadway with lights flashing it is important to slow down and move over.”
Moselle, Union, Southwest Jones and Ellisville fire departments, along with EMServ, Mississippi Highway Patrol, Jones County Fire Coordinator Dan McKenna and the Jones County Sheriff’s Department responded to an accident between mile marker 83 and 84 on Interstate 59 Friday morning where the driver of a passenger car left the roadway, overcorrected and flipped, according to emergency personnel. The driver sustained no major injuries.
Within just a few minutes of the first Interstate 59 wreck, emergency officials said a pickup truck left the roadway near mile marker 85, overcorrected and flipped several times. Chancellor reported that early Friday afternoon Sharon VFD, MHP and EMServ responded to a third rollover accident involving a woman and infant child on Sharon Road where no major injuries were reported. Chancellor also said that a fourth rollover with injuries was reported on Macedonia Road. Union and Moselle volunteer fire departments, along with other emergency personnel, responded to that accident.
A car also reportedly caught fire on Highway 84 near Big Creek 10. Pleasant Ridge, Calhoun and Hebron volunteer fire departments responded to that incident.