A split-second mistake could cost Ontario drivers more than a ticket

Cranton says distracted driving makes these situations even more dangerous

The Ontario Provincial Police are again warning drivers that failing to give emergency crews space can have serious consequences, especially during the busier summer months on the roads. 

The reminder comes after an OPP cruiser was hit earlier this month while parked on a highway with its emergency lights activated. Police say officers were protecting the scene of another collision when a vehicle travelling at highway speed struck the cruiser.

An OPP officer was taken to a regional trauma centre with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.

OPP Sgt. Erin Cranton says the message is not only aimed at protecting police.

Ontario’s Move Over law applies when drivers approach police, fire, ambulance or tow vehicles stopped with lights flashing. Cranton says drivers need to understand what the law expects when they come upon those scenes.

Police say the issue is especially important in rural areas, where shoulders can be narrow and responders may be working close to traffic.

Cranton says drivers should treat anything unexpected ahead as a reason to ease off the gas.

Cranton says distracted driving makes these situations even more dangerous. She says officers will continue to educate drivers, but enforcement remains an option when people ignore the law.

Story by: Bob Perreault