The results are in and it turns out that Ohio drivers still aren't good at moving over on the freeway when they legally should.
A study held this fall by Brekford Traffic Safety, Inc., collaborating with Ohio law enforcement and tow truck companies, in two Ohio cities showed that residents often choose to ignore the state's Move Over Law. The company's specialized Argos Guardian camera caught 545 drivers in the act of not moving to another lane or slowing down effectively enough when a car with flashing lights was on the side of the road. This was all accomplished in a time period of a measly 14 hours.
"The results of our testing in Ohio confirm much of what we already knew – that there is a significant issue with the adherence to Move Over laws by motorists," said Rod Hillman, Brekford’s President and COO, in a press release. "At nearly one violation per minute, it’s clear that there is a challenge both with enforcement and officer safety that law enforcement agencies struggle to combat on a daily basis.”
The Move Over Law, first enacted in Ohio in 1999, wasn't made to inconvenience drivers, but rather save the lives of law enforcement officers, construction workers, tow truck workers, firefighters and pedestrians whose car may be broken down on the side of the road. The Ohio Department of Transportation reports that hundreds of people are injured or killed across the country thanks to drivers not following these types of laws.
Back in July, the Ohio State Highway Patrol issued some 586 citations as part of its own enforcement and awareness campaign for the Move Over Law.
Citations come at $300 a pop for a first offense, which is rough. Find out more about Ohio's Move Over Law right here.
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