New Hampshire: Drivers urged to move over after trooper has close call with bus
State troopers were conducting a roadside investigation last week on I-89 when a bus failed to move or slow down, coming within inches of a Trooper Michael Catalfamo. "I saw the bus approaching, and I thought the bus was going to slow down or move over," Catalfamo said.
But the video shows that the driver of the bus did neither. Catalfamo said he could feel the wind from the passing bus. "A few inches further, and yeah, I most certainly would have been hit," he said. "After he passed me, I kind of paused and said to myself, 'I can't believe what just happened.'"
Under state law, drivers are required to move over or slow down when approaching an incident or if they see an emergency vehicle with its lights on. In this case, the driver of the bus was pulled over and cited. Catalfamo said the driver told police that he couldn't move over, but he said that's no excuse.
"There were three of us with all of our emergency lights activated," Catalfamo said. "He had more than enough time prior to reaching us to slow and/or move over." The trooper said that while some drivers are paying attention and complying with the law, there are still far too many close calls. "It happens too often, especially up on the interstate, with people not moving over," he said. "It happens to me all the time, almost on a daily basis."
Catalfamo said he considers himself lucky that he wasn't killed, and he had a simple message for drivers.
"Move over," he said. "It saves lives."
Drivers cited for not pulling over face a $93 fine for a first offense. Subsequent offenses carry a fine of $310.
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