West Region OPP are urging drivers to “move over” to keep first responders safe on roads and highways.
Police will conduct an enforcement blitz between Feb. 13 to Feb. 16, focusing on drivers who don’t slow down and move over for emergency vehicles parked on the side of a highway with their lights activated.
Ontario’s “Move Over” law states that if a driver is travelling on a road with two or more lanes, the driver must change lanes to go around the parked emergency vehicle.
If the roadway only has one lane, the driver is required to slow down and proceed with caution as they pass the parked emergency vehicle.
Since 1989, five OPP officers have been killed on the road when they or their vehicles were hit by oncoming traffic.
Failure to comply with the “Move Over” law comes with a $490 to $2,000 fine plus three demerit points.
Subsequent offences carry a $1,000 to $4,000 fine, possible jail time of up to six months and a driver’s licence suspension of up to two years.
OPP will announce the results by the end of the campaign.