Michigan state trooper Jacalyn Raab is recovering after being read-ended by a suspected drunk driver early Friday morning. The accident occurred on I-75 in Auburn Hills while she was working with MDOT to block a lane in a construction zone.
The "Move Over Law" requires drivers to give a lane of space when an emergency vehicle is pulled over on the shoulder, but drivers told me that can be tough with traffic sometimes.
Friday morning's accident is a cruel reminder about why the law is in place, and reinforces practices officers have to keep themselves as safe as they can.
But drivers have to be cautious too.
"If you see an emergency vehicle pulled over on the side of the road, the travelling public should either slow down or move over one lane," says first lieutenant Joseph Thomas of the Michigan State Police Lansing post.
Lights on the police cars and emergency vehicles are meant to give drivers more than enough warning.
"You can see the light systems on these cars from more than 500 feet away," explains Thomas, "when you see these lights, you should begin reacting to the potential situation that you may come upon."
But if there isn't enough time to react, officers take it into their own hands.
"They can make what's known as a right side approach, cause we never want to leave the officer out on the roadway where they subject themselves to possible injury," says Thomas.
Even with an officer's precautions, drivers need to keep in mind where they should be to keep themselves, and officers, safe.
