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Goes into effect March 22nd.. If you don't do it and get caught $100 fine..
State Trooper Terrence Halbach was responding to a motor vehicle accident on Interstate 91 in Deerfield on the morning of Feb. 19 when a car in the adjacent lane lost control, struck Halbach, and seriously injured him.
The culprit: A tractor-trailer moving at an excessive speed had caused the car that hit the trooper to spin out.
In the past few months, State Police have encountered numerous instances in which troopers or their cruisers are struck when they are on the side of the road, said David Procopio, a spokesman for the State Police.
Now, officials from State Police, the Massachusetts Highway Department, and AAA Southern New England are hoping a new law - "Slow Down, Move Over" - that goes into effect Sunday will eliminate some of those accidents.
Officials will hold a news conference today at 11 a.m. at State Police headquarters in Framingham to explain the new law to the public. .
Passed by the State Legislature on Dec. 22, the law requires drivers approaching emergency situations to leave the lane closest to the incident if possible and to slow down to a reasonable rate of speed.
Procopio said there is no specified speed limit. Violators face a fine of up to $100, he said.
"Slow Down, Move Over" aims to reduce the number of fatalities and injuries among police officers, emergency assistance personnel, highway workers, and tow truck drivers responding to disabled motor vehicles, emergency situations, and traffic violations.
Procopio said it is surprising how few drivers slow down near emergency situations.
"Many people do not realize that those on the side of the road are putting themselves at great jeopardy being out there doing their job," he said.
Massachusetts will become the 44th state with such a law, Procopio said.
Rhode Island enacted its own "Move Over Law" last July.
The culprit: A tractor-trailer moving at an excessive speed had caused the car that hit the trooper to spin out.
In the past few months, State Police have encountered numerous instances in which troopers or their cruisers are struck when they are on the side of the road, said David Procopio, a spokesman for the State Police.
Now, officials from State Police, the Massachusetts Highway Department, and AAA Southern New England are hoping a new law - "Slow Down, Move Over" - that goes into effect Sunday will eliminate some of those accidents.
Officials will hold a news conference today at 11 a.m. at State Police headquarters in Framingham to explain the new law to the public. .
Passed by the State Legislature on Dec. 22, the law requires drivers approaching emergency situations to leave the lane closest to the incident if possible and to slow down to a reasonable rate of speed.
Procopio said there is no specified speed limit. Violators face a fine of up to $100, he said.
"Slow Down, Move Over" aims to reduce the number of fatalities and injuries among police officers, emergency assistance personnel, highway workers, and tow truck drivers responding to disabled motor vehicles, emergency situations, and traffic violations.
Procopio said it is surprising how few drivers slow down near emergency situations.
"Many people do not realize that those on the side of the road are putting themselves at great jeopardy being out there doing their job," he said.
Massachusetts will become the 44th state with such a law, Procopio said.
Rhode Island enacted its own "Move Over Law" last July.
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