A new law went into effect this week that stiffens penalties against drivers who fail to slow down or move out of the way for emergency responders.

The state’s Move Over Law revises a 2017 law by requiring drivers who are approaching an emergency response area to slow down by at least 20 mph below the posted speed limit.

Additionally, drivers would be obligated to merge into another lane when an emergency vehicle is stopped.

Drivers can recognize emergency areas by such markings as vehicular hazard signal lamps, caution signs or other traffic control measures or road flares.

In the wake of recent accidents involving first responders at emergency scenes, this law is obviously much needed and we hope it enables responders to do their jobs more safely.

Last week, a member of the Clintonville Volunteer Fire Department was struck by a semitruck while directing traffic at the scene of an accident on Interstate 80.

In early 2020, a 44-year-old EMT was killed while exiting his ambulance at a crash on Interstate 70 in Westmoreland County.

According to data compiled by the Emergency Responder Safety Institute, 44 emergency personnel nationwide were killed by vehicles while responding to an accident in 2019, and 46 were killed at emergency scenes in 2020. As of April 25, 19 have been killed so far.

Emergency responders put their lives on the line to help those who are at risk of serious injury or death, and a matter of minutes can often determine whether someone survives.

While responding to such scenes, emergency responders shouldn’t have to fear for their own safety.

We’re glad to see the state increase penalties against those who fail to abide by this law. For example, it would raise fines to $500 for first-time offenders, $1,000 for a second offense and $2,000 for a third, while adding two points on a driver’s license.

Those who get a third offense would lose their license for 90 days. Drivers whose actions lead to the injury of an emergency responder could pay up to $10,000 in fines.

Slippery Rock Fire Chief Ryan Hanchosky summed up the importance of the law: “I can replace a $1 million firetruck. I can’t replace one of my people’s lives.

“At the end of the day, we have families to go home to, and we have jobs to go to the next day.”

We hope our readers keep this in mind whenever they get behind the wheel.

— NCD