In a troubling series of events on the roads of Georgia, emergency first responders were thrust into harm’s way due to motorists' negligence. Yesterday morning, a Douglas County deputy was hospitalized in an incident where a driver failed to obey Georgia's 'Move Over' law, said authorities. The collision occurred while officers were engaged in an investigation related to a prior chase on an I-20 ramp, according to FOX 5 Atlanta. A 2015 Kia Forte approached the scene and collided with the stationary police vehicles, resulting in injuries to the deputy and discomfort for a Georgia State Patrol trooper.
Later the same day, another 'Move Over' law violation brought additional mayhem to Interstate 20. This time, a Conyers police officer was assisting with a flat tire when a Nissan Rogue crashed into the patrol car. The chain reaction saw four vehicles caught up in the incident, with the officer ultimately needing to be hospitalized, though no serious injuries were reported. The driver admitted to seeing the officer's blue lights but nevertheless failed to sufficiently move over, earning a citation from the Georgia State Patrol, as detailed in a report by WSB-TV.
Georgia law is clear in its stipulation that drivers must either change lanes or significantly slow down when approaching stationary emergency vehicles with their lights activated. The identity of the driver in the first incident has yet to be released, and charges, if any, have not been confirmed.
