CAL
July 12th, 2010, 06:58 PM
Usually I see people move over to vacate the lane nearest the patrol car. Unfortunately, there are always those who don't give a shit about anybody else but themselves.
An increase in the number of Houston Police Department cruisers hit while pulled over on city streets and freeways is triggering greater enforcement of a state law requiring motorists to move over or slow down.
Today, Houston police will began a two-week citywide education campaign by stopping motorists who fail to change lanes or slow down when an emergency vehicle is pulled over on the roadway with its lights flashing. This week, informational pamphlets in English and Spanish detailing the "Move Over or Slow Down“ law will be handed out; next week, offenders will be ticketed.
The state law went into effect in 2003 and requires motorists approaching an emergency vehicle with its lights flashing to vacate the lane next to the vehicle or slow to 20 mph below the posted speed limit.
Fines can range up to $200 — or as much as $500 if property damage occurs.
Last year, 26 HPD units were struck by motorists, a 37 percent increase from the 19 incidents the year before, said Capt. Carl Driskell, who heads HPD's traffic enforcement division.
Driskell said two officers and a motorist were injured in the 19 incidents in 2008. In 2009, four officers and four motorists were injured in roadway crashes involving HPD vehicles.
Drunken driving was involved in 17 of the 45 wrecks during the two years, he said.
"Just those two numbers would indicate we have a problem, and we have to educate the driving public," said Driskell, who added there does not seem to be as big a problem on rural roadways.
Last week, an HPD officer writing a ticket on a roadway was hospitalized after being struck by a tire that flew off an 18-wheeler.
Police do not know if the vehicle was in the lane next to the officer, but they say the enforcement operation already was planned because of the growing number of incidents.
In October 2007, Pct. 5 Deputy Constable Jason Norling, 38, had pulled over to issue a traffic citation when he was struck and killed by a distracted motorist. The motorcycle officer was standing next to the window of a car he had stopped on the Westpark Tollway when he was fatally injured.
Link (http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/7103950.html)
An increase in the number of Houston Police Department cruisers hit while pulled over on city streets and freeways is triggering greater enforcement of a state law requiring motorists to move over or slow down.
Today, Houston police will began a two-week citywide education campaign by stopping motorists who fail to change lanes or slow down when an emergency vehicle is pulled over on the roadway with its lights flashing. This week, informational pamphlets in English and Spanish detailing the "Move Over or Slow Down“ law will be handed out; next week, offenders will be ticketed.
The state law went into effect in 2003 and requires motorists approaching an emergency vehicle with its lights flashing to vacate the lane next to the vehicle or slow to 20 mph below the posted speed limit.
Fines can range up to $200 — or as much as $500 if property damage occurs.
Last year, 26 HPD units were struck by motorists, a 37 percent increase from the 19 incidents the year before, said Capt. Carl Driskell, who heads HPD's traffic enforcement division.
Driskell said two officers and a motorist were injured in the 19 incidents in 2008. In 2009, four officers and four motorists were injured in roadway crashes involving HPD vehicles.
Drunken driving was involved in 17 of the 45 wrecks during the two years, he said.
"Just those two numbers would indicate we have a problem, and we have to educate the driving public," said Driskell, who added there does not seem to be as big a problem on rural roadways.
Last week, an HPD officer writing a ticket on a roadway was hospitalized after being struck by a tire that flew off an 18-wheeler.
Police do not know if the vehicle was in the lane next to the officer, but they say the enforcement operation already was planned because of the growing number of incidents.
In October 2007, Pct. 5 Deputy Constable Jason Norling, 38, had pulled over to issue a traffic citation when he was struck and killed by a distracted motorist. The motorcycle officer was standing next to the window of a car he had stopped on the Westpark Tollway when he was fatally injured.
Link (http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/7103950.html)