EXETER TWP., Pa. — Police in Berks County are cracking down on drivers who violate Pennsylvania's "Move Over" law.
"With everybody on their cell phones, texting and aggressive driving today, it just makes sense to move over," said Kris Kerschner, a representative of the Pottsville-based Highway Safety Network.
The network and AAA worked with the Exeter Township Police Department to make drivers aware of the state's Move Over, Slow Down law.
"The Move Over law requires people to move over in an emergency response area on the highways," Kerschner said. "If you cannot move over, you are to reduce your speed by 20 mph below the posted speed limit."
"We're all in danger out there in that traffic," said Ed Gouker, AAA's manager of automotive services.
Gouker has been in the towing and automotive services industry for around 40 years. Now, he is a towing and recovery instructor, but he occasionally responds to calls, like the other day when he went to help someone whose car broke down.
"We were standing pretty much on the white line, and I'm facing into traffic and people are coming by 60-70 mph, and they're not moving over," said Gouker. "I told the man, 'We have to move.'"
The law is also in place for police officers, firefighters, EMS providers, and other first responders, along with those who are having an issue on the side of the road; it's about safety.
"When people don't move over," Gouker said, "that's when the worst happens."
So far this year, more than 30 responders have been struck on highways in the United States.
If you are in violation, the penalties are hefty, with fines that increase with each offense, points on your license and even suspension of driving privileges.
