In an effort to protect those who protect us, Governor Andy Beshear is declaring November 13-17 Crash Responder Safety Week in Kentucky.
In a release, Governor Andy Beshear said every day our roadways, emergency responders and public safety personnel put their lives at risk to protect Kentuckians across the commonwealth. He urged drivers to slow down and move over to help keep these dedicated heroes safe as they work to make Kentucky a safer place for all of us to call home.
Kentucky passed its Move Over Law in 003 requiring motorists to move over to the adjacent lane when approaching an emergency vehicle or public safety vehicle with flashing lights. If changing lanes is impossible or unsafe, motorists must slow down and use caution. Failure to do so can result in fines, jail time or both.
The law protects all first responders, including law enforcement, firefighters, emergency medical technicians, paramedics, safety service patrols and towing vehicles.
Unfortunately, state officials indicate first responders are injured or killed every year by drivers who fail to move over. In Kentucky over the past three years, crashes involving emergency vehicles in response to an incident resulted in more than 1,000 collisions, more than 360 injuries and five deaths.
