WINNEBAGO COUNTY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Wisconsin transportation officials are reminding drivers to move over for law enforcement vehicles after two crashes involving state patrol cruisers this week.
Officials say a trooper was pulled over on the shoulder of Interstate 94 in Dane County Monday when a semi sideswiped the cruiser. The driver did not move out of the right lane or slow down.
On Wednesday morning, a driver passing a crash scene on Interstate 41 in Winnebago County lost control of their vehicle while traveling too fast in icy conditions. The vehicle rear-ended the cruiser of a trooper who was helping those involved in the initial crash.
No one was hurt in either crash. In both incidents, emergency lights were activated, meaning drivers needed to move over or slow down.
“Our troopers are lucky to have survived these incidents,” Wisconsin Department of Transportation Superintendent Anthony Burrell said in a news release. They put their lives at risk to help keep our roads safe. We need every driver to recognize the dangers first responders face and move over when their emergency lights are activated.”
Wisconsin’s Move Over Law requires drivers to move out of the lane closest to stopped law enforcement vehicles, ambulances, fire trucks, tow trucks, utility vehicles or highway maintenance vehicles with warning lights activated. Vehicles that cannot move over must slow down instead.
Violations can result in a citation of $263 if someone is hurt or killed.
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