From the Traverse City Record-Eagle
Michigan’s new “Emergency Vehicle Caution Law” — also called the “Move Over Law” — took impact this month. Drivers now should slow to ten mph below the published pace restrict while passing any stopped emergency car — along with ambulances, police cruisers, hearth trucks or wreckers.
Anyone who doesn’t already do that is flirting with catastrophe.
The new regulation is meant to persuade drivers that saving a few seconds of force time isn’t worth risking a $400 first-rate and two points on their license, now not to say possibly avoiding injuring or killing someone. Most drivers are routinely sluggish down once they see flashing lights because life already can be placing within the balance.
The new law is extra precise in speeds and penalties than the older regulation it replaces.
The new measure requires drivers to merge left when possible to allow an empty lane beside the emergency vehicle.
It’s a disgrace that an updated regulation is required to persuade a few people to navigate with care past emergency scenes.
A flashing mild constantly screams “warning!” Every driving force robotically should slow and provide the scene wide berth.
A wrecker or police cruiser with lights flashing means there are possibly emergency employees near or in traffic lanes.
A hearth truck with lights flashing approach. There’s a rescue in development or the risk of the hearth at the roadway. An ambulance with lighting fixtures flashing method injured sufferers may be on the scene, at the side of rescuers operating to save them.
The remaining component all people need in one’s condition is a carelessly driven car zooming beyond at full velocity.
The Traverse City area has seen too many road tragedies in the latest years. Changing a flat tire shouldn’t be a lifestyle-threatening experience. Riding a bike or taking walks alongside a country street ought to be safe. Working as part of a toll road creation crew shouldn’t endanger your life. There’s no excuse for slamming into a fire truck at the scene of a visitor’s crash.
Anytime something massive and something small is nearby, the danger exists for the small. That’s especially genuine, while the small is a human body and the giant is a two-ton chunk of metal.
Pedestrians, bicyclists, cars and trucks can co-exist on our roads. Everyone desires to act responsibly. Walkers and bikers want to obey the way, and they want to pick out routes accurately. Drivers need to use care every time pedestrians or bikers are at the scene. And they want to slow down while emergency employees and emergency motors are at work. It’s the regulation.
Drivers need to obey all Michigan traffic guidelines, along with the brand new Emergency Vehicle Caution Law. They additionally want to follow the legal directives of common sense.
Road conditions range. Slowing to 10 mph below the posted restriction won’t be enough when roads are slippery or visibility is poor.
Slow down within the snow — mainly around emergency vehicles.