Ignoring the Move Over law can put police, tow truck operators in danger

[TowNews]

 

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) - A trooper and a tow truck driver were struck by a car on Interstate-95 in Wakefield early Tuesday morning while attending to a disabled car.

 

State Police Media Relations Director Dave Procopio said both had to be taken to the hospital, but they're expected to be okay.

But many officers and tow operators aren't so lucky. 

 

According to Jeremy Procon, the western director for the Statewide Towing Association, 12 tow truck operators have been killed across the country just in the first three weeks of 2019.

 

Massachusetts has had a Move Over law in place since 2009, but Procon said too many drivers ignore it. 

 

"On average, there's a tow operator struck every six days in the United States," said Procon. "The Massachusetts Statewide Towing Association helped establish this law, so we are constantly trying to push legislation to strengthen the move over law. Increasing the fines, and of course, increasing enforcement."

 

State Police are investigating to see if road or weather conditions were a factor in Tuesday's crash. 

 

Failing to move over for stopped emergency vehicles can result in a $100 ticket. 

 

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[TowZone]

A $100 Fine... That has to be the lowest number I have seen.

 

That needs to be at minimum 5 times that number.

 

I would be interested if anyone has actually paid the citation. because I heard that the majority if not all have been dismissed in court. Many officers do not write them because of that reason. Regardless it is a valid law and deserves to be enforced. Many have lost their lives because drivers did not do the right thing and move over. Now we are heard news reports of more Police Officers being Struck and injured or killed. Will this change the course of enforcement?

[GRUMPS The Towman]

as sad as it is to say,  it will take more police officers being struck before there is reform and stricter enforcement of our move over laws. Its just the way society seems to operate these days. the current fines and enforcement is a joke. ive called in violators before to law enforcement including vehicle descriptions and plate numbers just to be told " just try to watch out when your out there". its ridiculous.

[goodmichael]

It will take more towers refusing to service the public in situations that are deemed to dangerous, as well as a united front in doing so until any changes will occur. Right now this industry is considered disposable by the public at large. And truthfully, people in this industry are just not fed up enough to do something about it. Until enough people are willing to drastically change their operating policies, procedures, and attitudes, we will continue to offer ourselves up for sacrifice. Get one thing straight, people in this industry are dying due to failure to speak up and demand a safe work environment, failure to provide the safest possible work environment for your employees, failure to demand fair compensation for the skillset and equipment required to properly and safely provide the required procedures to accomplish the task at hand, and failure of people to have value for the lives that are endangered for just not showing reverence and compassion for the life of those endangered as well as their families, loved ones, and pets.