A Nevada Highway Patrol trooper came close to getting seriously injured when he attempted to exit his vehicle during a routine traffic stop along a freeway ramp.
The patrol car had its emergency lights on according to the Las Vegas Sun, just as a passing vehicle smashed into its door and kept going. While the trooper should have checked his mirrors before exiting his car, Nevada State law clearly sides with the officer.
Specifically, the Nevada Move Over Law states that you must slow down and move over one lane as you approach a stopped emergency vehicle.
Thanks to an anonymous tip, the driver of the hit-and-run car (an unnamed woman) was eventually tracked down and issued citations on counts of driving without a valid license, hit and run with property damage, and failure to stop and render aid.
“The highway is the trooper’ office space – that’s the environment they work in every day, and it’s dangerous,” said the NHP in a statement. “Motorists are reminded to move over and slow down for stopped emergency vehicles.”
Even so, a little more awareness when exiting your vehicle never hurt anybody, especially when various factors can cause even the most cautious of drivers to not be able to change lanes at the sight of a stationary emergency vehicle.
https://youtu.be/q-dDBEgpTGk
