State Patrol: Move over to give room for emergency vehicles or face ticket

Troopers will be cracking down this week on drivers who don’t move over to avoid getting too close to emergency vehicles or personnel.

The statewide emphasis patrol runs Tuesday, Oct. 27, through Thursday, Oct. 29.

Under the “Move Over” law, RCW 46.61.212, drivers approaching stopped emergency vehicles with lights flashing must move over a lane or if that’s unsafe, approach with caution at a reduced speed. Emergency vehicles include police, fire, medical, tow trucks and vehicles providing roadside assistance, making use of hazard lights.

Between 2007 and 2014, 212 Washington State Patrol vehicles were struck while conducting traffic stops or providing motorist assistance. Three troopers and multiple citizens have been injured in collisions over the last seven years, as a result of vehicles either striking the trooper or a parked emergency vehicle, according to WSP.

This story was originally published October 26, 2015 at 3:14 PM with the headline "State Patrol: Move over to give room for emergency vehicles or face ticket."