WEGO police, PennDOT partner to ‘Steer Clear’

WESTTOWN » Last week, members of the WesttownEast Goshen Regional Police Department, Chester County Highway Safety Project and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation partnered to raise awareness and enforce the Move Over Law, which was part of Highway Safety Law Awareness Week.

The purpose of this operation was to help police officers, roadway workers, first responders and citizens stay safe and bring awareness to the Move Over Law. Ultimately, increasing awareness and understanding of driver responsibilities when approaching emergency vehicles will help to reduce the potential of crashes, increase safe driving behaviors and increase officer and public safety.

When approaching or passing an emergency response area, a person, unless otherwise directed by an emergency service responder, must pass in a lane not adjacent to that of the emergency response area, and if passing in a nonadjacent lane is possible, illegal or unsafe, pass the emergency response area at a careful and prudent reduced speed reasonable for safely passing the emergency response area.

Violators commit a summary offense. Penalties include a fine of up to $250 for the first offense, $500 for a second offense, and $1,000 for a third and subsequent offense. Repeat offenders may have their license suspended, and violators who cause bodily injury or the death of an emergency service provider face additional fines of up to $10,000.

The operation was conducted along 3 miles of US Route 202 (Wilmington Pike) in Westtown and Thornbury Township. PennDOT assisted with displaying a message about the steering clear of emergency responders on their message boards along the roadway corridor. A total of 11 traffic citations were issued during the enforcement period, and five citations were for violations of the Move Over Law.

SUBMITTED PHOTO The Westtown-East Goshen Regional Police Department and PennDOT have partnered on a Steer Clear program.