Officers of the Lennox and Addington OPP charged a driver under the “Move Over” law.
On Jan. 29, shortly after 11 a.m., L&A OPP officers were conducting speed enforcement on Hwy 401 just west of Greater Napanee. The police were in a fully marked vehicle with their emergency lights activated and had a vehicle pulled over on the right shoulder of the highway for speeding. During the traffic stop a vehicle sped past in the lane next to the stopped police vehicle. The vehicle made no attempt to move over or slow down while the left lane was vacant. The vehicle was estimated to be traveling 130 km/hr past the stopped police vehicle. The vehicle was stopped by the second police officer on the scene. When the vehicle was pulled over the driver did not realize that it was a law to move over into the open lane away from the emergency vehicle. The 30-year-old male from Kingston was charged with the offence under the Highway Traffic Act, 159(3) Fail to move into another lane for an emergency vehicle or tow truck – if safe to do so $490 and three demerit points.
Drivers know that it’s important to share the road with emergency vehicles, but did you know that it’s the law?
In Ontario, Section 159(2) and (3) of the Highway Traffic Act requires drivers to slow down and proceed with caution when passing an emergency vehicle parked on the side of a highway with its lights activated. If the highway has more than one lane, the law requires the driver to move over and leave one lane between their vehicle and the parked emergency vehicle if it can be done safely.
Failure to comply with Ontario’s ‘Move Over’ law carries a $490 to $2,000 fine plus three demerit points upon conviction.
Subsequent offences carry a $1,000 to $4,000 fine, possible jail time of up to six months and suspension of their driver’s licence for up to two years.
The ‘Move Over’ law, which has been in place since 2003, protects the lives of police, firefighters, emergency medical services personnel and tow truck operators who are stopped at the roadside to carry out their work.