OREGON DEPT. OF TRANSPORTATION STARTS SAFETY EFFORT

A statewide campaign to increase safety for emergency personnel working on the side of the road includes highway signs, billboards, radio advertisements, transit bus signs, rest area posters and brochures promoting the “Move Over” safety message, according to the Oregon Department of Transportation.

Police are also stepping up enforcement of the four-year-old state law. “Police, fire, EMS and other emergency personnel put their lives on the line every day to deliver often life-saving care to travelers,” said Steve Vitolo, ODOT Safety Division’s Statewide Law Enforcement and Judicial Program manager. “Helping to ensure they make it home safely at the end of their shift is the goal of this stepped up campaign.”

Every year, emergency personnel are struck by errant drivers. “We are trying to provide as many people as possible with multiple opportunities to learn about Oregon’s law in order to get 100 percent compliance,” Vitolo said. “The public’s help is paramount to protecting those we depend on to protect us.”

The Move Over law (ORS 811.147) states that if you are driving up behind or next to any type of emergency vehicle — police car, ambulance or public safety vehicle — working on the roadside with emergency lights flashing, you must:

• Move over to another lane.

• If you cannot safely change lanes, you must slow down.

• In all cases, the driver must try to provide as much room as possible for the emergency vehicle.

According to national statistics, a record number of traffic incidents involving safety personnel are occurring. More than 700 officers have been killed in the last 10 years when struck while working on the side of the highway. Failure to comply with the Move Over law can result in a fine of up to $355.