The Law

 265:37-a Motorist Duties When Approaching Highway Emergencies. – When in or approaching an incident involving a fire, collision, disaster, or other emergency resulting in partial or complete blockage of a highway, or a location where a police officer has made a traffic stop, every driver other than the driver of an emergency response vehicle, shall:
    I. Maintain a reduced speed.
    II. Obey the directions of any authorized person directing traffic and of all applicable emergency signals and traffic control devices.
    III. Vacate as soon as possible any lane wholly or partially blocked.
    IV. Give a wide berth, without endangering oncoming traffic, to public safety personnel, any persons in the roadway, and stationary vehicles displaying blue, red, or amber emergency or warning lights.

Some major incidents and several close calls on New Hampshire highways have once again highlighted the need for motorists to obey the State's "Move Over" law when approaching any stopped traffic that involves law enforcement and vehicles displaying blue, red or amber emergency or warning lights.

On August 10th a NH State Police cruiser was rear-ended by a car on Interstate 89 in Grantham while a trooper was outside the cruiser checking on an abandoned vehicle. Earlier this summer, a NH Department of Transportation survey truck parked on the shoulder of the Laconia Bypass was struck by a car not far from where a survey crew was working. In both incidents, the State Police cruiser and the NHDOT vehicle had their emergency lights flashing, and the drivers of the cars that struck the parked state vehicles were injured.

Last month Hawaii became the 50th and final state to enact a "Move Over" law. A national survey has found that while 90 percent of those polled believe traffic stops and roadside emergencies are dangerous for law enforcement and first responders, nearly three of four people (71 percent) surveyed have not heard of "Move Over" laws.