State Officials Reminding Drivers Of 'Move Over' Law As Traffic Increases
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Halfway through the year, Maryland Roadways are seeing a bump in traffic.
Those numbers are a reminder for drivers from the Maryland Transportation Authority to move over when they see service vehicles on the side of the road.
Col. Kevin M. Anderson is Chief of MDTA Police. "Whether it's red, white, blue or amber, you just need to slow down or move over and give space to the emergency workers working on the side of our highways," he said.
The recent death of an AAA Tow Truck Driver in Ohio is highlighting the risks Emergency First Responders in Maryland face every day.
Dozens of drivers participated in a procession in honor of 32-year-old Glenn Ewing.
"You can't legislate common sense," Ragina Ali of AAA said. "Motorists need to take the responsibility of driving very seriously and pay attention to what they're doing. If someone is on the side of the road, even if it's a disabled motorist, make it a habit to move over."
Garland Amaker has been working with AAA for 15 years. He realizes his most important mission during the day is making it home. "You want to be safe on the side of the road. You got cars going past you 65 to 70 miles per hour," he said.
The law has been in effect since 2010 and more than a decade later, safety is by far the number one rule every time you get behind the wheel.
Since 2019, there have been more than 10,000 work zone crashes in Maryland. Nationwide, there is an average of 700 deaths per year.
