MOUNT UNIACKE: A 60-year-old Fall River woman has been fined for failing to move over for an emergency vehicle during an MVC on Hwy 101 in Mount Uniacke on Aug. 13.
Const. Andrew Ouellette said an officer with East Hants RCMP was inside his police vehicle with emergency lights activated when two vehicles in the lane closest to the police vehicle sped by at highway speeds.
“The vehicles were dangerously close to the police vehicle, shaking it as they passed,” said Const. Ouellette. “The officer was able to detain one of the vehicles and the female driver was charged under the Motor Vehicle Act for driving in traffic lane closest to emergency vehicle that is stopped and exhibiting flashing lights when other lane available.”
The fine amount for this charge is $352.50.
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Const. Ouellette said that RCMP across N.S. have observed that many Nova Scotians are not following the “Move Over” laws which were implemented more than 10 years ago as a way to keep emergency workers safe when they are working on highways and roads.
East Hants RCMP wants to remind drivers to slow down to 60 km/h, or the posted speed limit if it is lower, when passing a stopped emergency vehicle with its lights flashing.
Drivers traveling in a lane immediately adjacent to a stopped emergency vehicle must also move into another lane if one is available and it is safe to do so.
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Emergency vehicles include those used by Police, Fire, EHS, Tow trucks, Vehicle compliance, TIR, and DNR.
Const. Ouellette said it really should be a common-sense response to slow down and move over, but some drivers fail to understand how dangerous it is when they are flying by emergency vehicles on the side of roads.
“Police officers have lost their lives roadside, like Const. Frank Deschenes in 2017,” he said. “We really don’t want to lose anyone else, or anyone from an assisting agency.”
