Fighting crime and fighting fires is dangerous work that the men and women of the Broward Sheriff's Office take in stride. But, standing on a busy roadside, or just driving to the scene, can actually pose a greater hazard than dealing with the critical incident itself. Drivers can make the jobs of our deputies and fire rescue personnel safer by remembering to move over in emergencies.
A review of national statistics confirms that being in traffic is the single most hazardous duty performed by law enforcement officers and firefighters across the country. Last year, 155 deputies and police officers died in the line of duty nationwide, with 64 of the deaths vehicle-related. Sixteen of the deceased law enforcement officers were hit by cars. By contrast, 59 died of gunshot wounds and one was fatally stabbed. A total of 106 firefighters were lost in line of duty deaths in 2005, 26 of them in vehicular incidents.
In 2002, the Florida Legislature passed the "Move Over Act." Designed to protect law enforcement officers and other emergency workers, the law requires drivers to move over or slow down when approaching an emergency vehicle that is stopped. On highways with multiple lanes of travel in the same direction, vehicles approaching a parked law enforcement or other emergency vehicle with its flashing lights activated are required to vacate the lane closest to the emergency vehicle as soon as it's safe to do so. If you can't move over due to heavy traffic, you must slow to a speed 20 miles per hour below the posted speed limit. The same slow-down rule applies on two-lane roadways where there is no place to move over.
Moving over also means making way for emergency vehicles. Moving over not only saves lives and prevents needless injuries to our deputies and fire fighters; it also improves the effectiveness of their response. When you hear a siren or catch a glimpse of flashing lights, prepare to react in a safe and prudent manner. If the emergency vehicle is approaching from ahead or behind, you need to pull over. If you are nearing an intersection and an emergency vehicles is approaching from the cross street, you should yield the right-of-way. Don't slam on your brakes because that might cause another emergency. Instead, put on your turn signal, slow down and pull over at the first safe spot you can find. After the patrol car, ambulance or fire truck has passed, use your signals again and carefully reenter the roadway.
Moving over in emergencies is common sense and common courtesy, and in Florida it's the law.