MESSAGE FROM INDIANA STATE POLICE: MOVE OVER

When a police officer has a car pulled over, it's the law for other drivers to move over. But state police say many Hoosiers aren't, and that's putting lives in danger.

"It's important to move over and give them enough room to do their job," Indiana State Police Department Chaplain Daniel Coffey said.

Coffey said he's had to help grieving families cope with losing a state trooper to a passing motorist too many times.

"I have to look in the eyes of their children, wives, husbands, mothers and fathers," Coffey said. "These officers are people and they need their safety too. It infuriates me that it's something as simple as moving over to let them do their job."

The move over law was enacted July 1, 1999. It states that every vehicle must move to the far lane when passing an emergency vehicle pulled over on the side of the road. If it is impossible to move over safely, then the vehicle must slow down below the posted speed limit.

"We just wish common courtesy would go a little farther," Trooper Jason Ward said. "Just the wave of cars going by will move my pants and hat and it's pretty scary sometimes."

Police told NewsChannel 15 that within 30 days, five state police cars were hit by passing cars on the interstates in Allen County alone.

"I have cars brush by and it feels like you got struck," Ward said.

Ward added that he is more afraid of getting hit by a car while on duty than of getting shot.

"A life depends on people driving safely," Coffey added.

Wednesday NewsChannel 15 rode along with Ward on U-S 30. Within three stops, our cameras caught eleven drivers who didn't move over or slow down.

Ward pulled one semi-truck over for not moving, and that driver had several excuses for breaking the law.

"He said there was a car in the far lane, which there wasn't, and he said he didn't want to hit on the breaks because there was another semi following too closely. He said he normally moves over, but this time didn't," Ward said.

Ward gave the driver a citation for breaking the move over law. The violation carries a maximum $10,000 fine.