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Police Emphasize Roadside Safety

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 23, 2008

ZEPHYRHILLS - The Zephyrhills Police Department Tactical Anti-Crime Team will take part in the "Move over Florida!" traffic enforcement campaign beginning today and ending Sunday.

A law went into effect July 1, 2002, stating that on interstate highways or other highways with two or more lanes traveling in the direction of the emergency vehicle, drivers approaching a law enforcement or other emergency vehicle parked on a roadway with its emergency lights activated are required to vacate the lane closest to the vehicle as soon as it is safe to do so.

For example, if a police cruiser is pulled over on the right side of a highway with its lights activated, motorists should move to the left lane.

When approaching an emergency vehicle parked on a two-lane roadway with lights activated, drivers are required to slow to a speed that is 20 mph less than the posted speed limit when the posted speed limit is 25 mph or greater; or travel at 5 mph when the posted speed limit is 20 mph or less, a news release stated.

From 1996 to 2000, motorists in Florida crashed into working law enforcement vehicles that were stopped or parked along Florida roadways 1,793 times, resulting in five deaths and 419 injuries, according to state statistics.

A staff report

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