ISP begins crackdown on ‘move-over law’

Photo of the interstate. (WISH Photo)

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – The Indiana State Police are taking part in a weeklong, six-state crackdown to catch drivers who break the “move-over law.”

That law requires drivers to change lanes near emergency vehicles stopped on the side of the road.

If you can’t do that, you’re supposed to slow down at least 10 miles per hour below the posted speed limit.

According to Indiana State Police, the number of emergency vehicles hit stopped on the side of the road is up this year. In 2018 there were only 11 total crashes recorded.

So far this year 20 police cars, four ambulances, 10 fire trucks and two highway department trucks have been hit.

The enforcement known as the six-state trooper project is a combined effort with five other states Ohio, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Michigan and West Virginia.

It officially started Sunday at 12:01 a.m. and lasts until Saturday at 11:59 p.m.

Police said the goal isn’t to write more tickets. They just want to make sure people understand the law and are taking it seriously.

Indiana was the first state to pass a move over law in 1999 shortly after a state trooper was hit and killed while helping someone on the interstate.

Now every state with the exception of Hawaii has some form of a move-over law.