COLUMBUS – Two Ohio state representatives are proposing legislation to increase penalties for drivers whose failure to move over for an emergency vehicle leads to injury or death.
Republican Tom Patton, of Strongsville, and Democrat Brigid Kelly, of Cincinnati, plan to introduce their bill in the Ohio House in the next two weeks.
The “move over” law requires drivers to move for stopped emergency and public service vehicles with lights flashing, and slow down if they can’t move over. The current penalty is a fine and possibly license suspension.
Under the proposal, drivers could be jailed up to 180 days and fined up to $1,000 if someone is hurt or killed.
The Ohio Fraternal Order of Police backs the proposal.
“Too many police are being injured and killed in a completely senseless way, including one officer right here in Ohio earlier this year who was attempting to secure an accident scene,” FOP of Ohio President Jay McDonald said. “We have to educate the public and encourage them to slow down and move over and we have to punish those whose thoughtless actions result in serious injury or death.”
The FOP is rolling out a new public information campaign to promote safe driving and heightened enforcement of the current “Move Over” law.
Despite the original “move over” law taking effect over a decade ago, fatal collisions between Ohio motorists and officers on the side of the road still occur. Two Ohio officers were killed the past year while working on the side of a highway.