Florida: FHP troopers crack down on move over violations trying to save lives
Florida drivers may be receiving a fine of up to $120 for not moving over when an official is stopped on the side of the road. Troopers say their top priority is saving lives. " There that's the one you want"
Sgt. Tracy Pace took to the roads as Sgt. Anson Creech circled the skies. FHP was out in full force pulling people over not only for speeding but for not moving over when an officer is conducting a stop. " We put driving as number 5 or 6 on the list of things we need to do when were in the vehicle and that needs to stop," Sgt. Tracy Pace
As soon as the day starts we are already pulling people over. "We use bravo 1 stopwatch bravo 1," said Sgt. Anson Creech. The pilot in the air uses registered stopwatches to clock peoples speeds and then up ahead a trooper is waiting to pull the person over.
" He tells the trooper this is the one passing you in the center lane the red one. You are behind the correct vehicle," explains Sgt. Pace.
One by one cars zoom pass get clocked in and pulled over.
While the trooper deals with the speeding car another trooper is on the lookout for cars not moving over.
"Okay that green van failed to move over," explained Pace.
According to the trooper the person in the green van says they didn't know what they did wrong.
" They didn't understand why they were being pulled over when I said they didn't move over for us when we were parked in the median on a traffic stop. He stated that he didn't even see us," said Corporal Matthew Simmons.
Sgt. Pace says she personally knows how quickly that situation can turn deadly.
" Trooper Richard in Ocala was struck by somebody who had been in a crash. Swerved into the median and had gone down in between the vehicles and the guardrail killing her and two other gentleman it just happened so quickly out here. All were asking for is a lane. A little bit of extra room because that can mean the difference of losing our life or going home to our family," said Pace.
By the end of the two hours we were out patrolling 17 tickets or warnings were issued, at least 9 being for move over.
Troopers hope campaigns like this will remind everyone on the road to share it.
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