WAUPACA, WI (Wisconsin Radio Network) – A recent crash on Highway 10 in Waupaca is putting more focus on the state’s “Slow Down and Move Over” law.
Waupaca’s Sheriff is reminding people to slow down and move over for emergency vehicles after a semi truck slammed into the back of a fire truck last weekend.
The crash happened on Highway 10 in Waupaca Sunday night, and the fire truck did have its lights and sirens on.
Sheriff Brad Hardel says it’s just a sober reminder of the danger emergency service workers are in every day.
“When you’re an officer and you’re standing on the side of the road, and let’s just use a semi for example, whizzes by you at 65, 70 miles an hour, that’s not just a scary situation, that can be deadly in a big hurry.”
Hardel says this is just another in a series of crashes along Highway 10 this year.
“I’ve had a couple cases where I’ve had to actually dive out of the way. So yeah, it’s a really scary situation.”
He says this just emphasizes the need to follow the slowdown, move over laws.
“You must move over to the next lane over. If you cannot move over, meaning there’s so much traffic that it doesn’t allow you to move over, you have to slow down considerably.”
The driver of the semi suffered serious injuries and remains in the hospital.
