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#1 |
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![]() Dear Editor:
The Louisiana Highway Safety Commission has received reports from law enforcement officers in the field that many drivers are apparently unaware of actions they must take when passing an emergency vehicle that is stopped on the side of a road with lights flashing. Louisiana law requires drivers approaching such a situation on an interstate or other multi-lane highway to slow down and safely merge into the lane farthest from where the emergency vehicle is parked. In the case of a two-lane road, the driver must slow down to 25 miles per hour or to the posted speed limit, whichever is lowest. In both cases, the driver can proceed to the posted speed limit as soon as it is safe to do so. Often referred to as the “Move Over Law,” most states have enacted such requirements to protect officers and other emergency responders. The Louisiana law applies to all emergency vehicles on the side of a road with lights flashing. Traffic-related incidents kill more law enforcement officers in the line of duty than any other single cause. A national study found that nearly half of officers killed in 2004 died as a result of traffic-related incidents. In Louisiana, the only State Police trooper killed in the line of duty in the past 10 years died when struck from behind by a vehicle. Troop A in Baton Rouge has had four Troopers struck in the past two years. Two have permanent disabilities. Whether the law enforcement officer you see on the side of the road is writing a citation or assisting a motorist, his or her job is dangerous enough without having cars and trucks whizzing by a few feet away at 70 miles per hour. Please remember: Slow down when you approach such a situation, and safely merge into a lane away from the officer, if there is another lane going in your direction. Respectfully, Col. James E. Champagne Executive Director Governor's Highway Safety Representative ![]() |
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#2 |
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I knew that was the law in Texas, but i didn't know it was here.
25MPH? That's ridiculous. |
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#3 |
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And thats just the cops- what about the towtruck drivers?! Every week in this country, people in my line of work are KILLED by "looky lous"
![]() Seriously, I am on the side of the road all day and all night- People FLY past me @ 70mph just feet away! One of the first things I learned while training for this job is to keep one hand on the truck @ all times while roadside, that way, if I trip or stumble on a rock or road debris, I can try not to fall into traffic. One little stumble and I would die(and doing this 70-80 hours a week-its gonna happen)- just because someone wouldn't get over or SLOW DOWN!! BELIEVE ME- we need this law, because people are too "self-absorbed" to get over. ![]()
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#4 | |
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#5 |
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People don't care about flashing lights on an emergency vechicle or a tow truck. How many times have you seen a road construction sign that says lane closed ahead merge ?[right or left] and people will stay in the closed lane until they get right up to it then cut in front of a vehicle that done what they were suppose to back down the road where the sign is. Another is the intersection of I-20 and Airline, people come off I-20 and block the intersection until traffic starts moving. We have some maniacs out on the highway these days.
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#6 |
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Pie, you know the only reason people do those things, are so they can be in front of YOU! Instead of merging, thier goal is simply to be further up in line, so they CUT,like Kindergardeners. From the view in my wrecker, I'm a spectator. And I laugh at people all day!
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#7 |
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I like to watch "Cops" and many times they see the flashing lights and get tunnel vision and freak out when it is to late to correct. I think fear of the cops makes some lose control. There are other times when curiosity kills the cop.
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#8 | |
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#9 |
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Unfortunately, I can't drive the way I would like to in my 25,000 pound tow-truck.
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#10 |
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I understand, my brother-in-law is a 18-wheeler driver and people don't mind pulling out in front of them either.
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Pie, I travel the Interstate every day back and forth to town. The worst offenders out there are the 18-wheelers. At least once a week, I am faced with being nearly run off the road by one. We have lived in East Texas now for ten years and there have been a so many occasions when I have had to take the median or take the shoulder completely in order to avoid a total collision with one. I can not even begin to count the number of wrecks I've seen caused by them. My biggest pet peeve are the ones who like to ride my a$$ on the road. (No jokes please) The most interesting thing is I always see the po po pulling over cars but never a single 18 wheeler!!
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#12 | |
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#13 | |
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What people don't seem to realize is that these trucks also have physical limitations because of their size. For instance, if you're sitting at an intersection on a truck route and a truck turns from your right onto the road you're on, if you don't give them sufficient space, of course they'll come close to hitting you. On a related note, it is not unheardof for these trucks to need to turn into the oncoming lane in order to make room for a right turn. This is a limitation of the rig and nothing can be done about that. The trucker isn't doing it just to be a jerk. A careful driver will give the rig its proper space and not try to run up on it or cut him off.
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#14 |
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Pie I am truly sorry about your friends getting hurt in that accident but they are in the minority. I'll have to agree with Belle that 18 wheelers are out to plow on through and scare us little guys out of the way or else! Your friends might have been the exception.
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#15 | |
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