Local

FHP to crack down on enforcing Move Over Law after officer vehicle, trooper hit by cars

Local officers are emphasizing the importance of the Move Over Law after two recent incidents involving officers being hit while working.

In Florida, by law, drivers are supposed to move over a lane or slow down for emergency vehicles with flashing lights.

On Thursday, a Jacksonville Sheriff's Office patrol car was smashed in after it was hit by a suspected drunk driver. The officer was assisting with a lane closure on the Buckman with his lights on.

On of a scale of 1 to 10, Kim Guzewich describes the traffic on Buckman Bridge as an 11.

Guzewich said speeding seems to be the common problem on the bridge.

“People are crazy. They change lanes when they’re not supposed to. You can be going down in the middle lane and people are passing you on both sides. You don’t know if people are going to slam to a stop in front of you,” Guzewich said.

If you fail to move over for an emergency vehicle, you can be issued a ticket, receive three points on your license and may be forced to pay a fine.

The Florida Highway Patrol is cracking down on enforcing the law after Sgt. William Bishop was hit and killed while working an accident on Interstate 75 in Alachua County. On Friday, he was laid to rest.

Ron Tittle with the Florida Department of Transportation said if you can’t move over due to traffic, you must slow down to at least 20 miles per hour when passing an officer or emergency vehicle.