FORS & AAA Carolinas will host a Move Over Press Event on Monday, May 19th at 10am at the Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina.  Speakers include:  Tim Hayes, a former Mecklenburg County, NC paramedic who became an amputee after he responded to a roadside emergency; Dave Parsons, president and CEO of AAA Carolinas; Lara Feinberg, director of F.O.R.S.; N.C. State Rep. Ray Rapp, sponsor of the recent amendment to the NC Move Over Law; Jeff Cash from the N.C. State Firemen’s Association; and Colonel W. Fletcher Clay, commander of the N.C. State Highway Patrol

May 2008 Update 

Our May 2008 update is dedicated to the memory of Commander Harry P. Wendler who served with the Miami-Dade Police Department for over twenty years.  He passed away last month from natural causes.  Families for Roadside Safety would not be where it is today without the quiet cheers from my uncle.  He will be missed by many.

In our April 2008 update, I asked those of you who are law enforcement officers, emergency workers, etc. that if you could tell motorists one thing, what would it be.  We had responses from tow truck drivers, DOT engineers, emergency workers and even parents of law enforcement officers, and more.  Here are some of the re sponses I received:

v  “What would it feel like to be leaving your home for your office, plant place of work and know that in an instant, seconds, if even less, you could be injured or die at your job (at no fault by yourself).  Would it make you take a second thought about going to your job, would it make you take a few minutes out of your time to spend with your loved ones before heading out?  This is the sad reality that we, as public service personnel (Fire, EMS, LEO, and tow personnel) have to face each time going to our “office”, which is commonly out and about, along the highways and byways that you take for work, pleasure and errands.   So, in regards to this, take your time getting to and from point A to B, and all points in between, you may never know that when you’re speeding down the road and get stopped by that cop, or that the person weaving over in the other lane is drunk and about to hit you, because when disaster strikes, we respond.  You might not think that your life depends on it, but ours sure does.  Remember, MOVE OVER FOR STOPPED EMERGENCY VEHICLES, the life that you save may be your own…”

v  “Please stay off cell phones when driving.  Stay Alert!”

v  “ I’d probably yell at the top of my lungs: ‘SLOW DOWN!’”

v  “Drive like it was your child standing there beside the roadway.  Because there is someone’s child, parent, spouse, or sibling standing there.  I wish everyone could have seen Cody Cogdill at his father’s funeral.  They would hopefully never wish to put a child through that again.”

v  “Pay attention to your surroundings!”

v  “SLOW DOWN….No Need 2 Speed!”

Now, let me ask you…What have you done?  What have you done personally to ensure your safety on our nation’s roadsides?  Who have you told about the dangers you face?  One person can make a difference.  Take the time to tell the people in your lives to “stay alert” and to “pay attention.”  How many of you work outside of law enforcement and emergency services, yet truly support keeping these folks safe?  Take 5 minutes and write a letter about it.  Ask your payroll department to include the letter with everyone’s paychecks next month.  Heck, I will send you the $5 to buy a ream of paper so you can run off copies of your letter and hand them to the payroll folks.  What are the lives of our law enforcement officers and emergency workers worth?  At least a ream of paper and five minutes of your time I would hope.  Remember, you could be the next stranded motorist that a tow truck driver has stopped to assist.  Your son or daughter could be the next one to get stopped for speeding.  Pray that you have told enough people about the Move Over Law.  The life you save could be your own!

With a recent struck-by incident caught on video involving a Pennsylvania state trooper, Move Over Laws have once again found their way into the national spotlight.  You can view a recent Good Morning America story, entitled Woman Saves Trooper’s Life, on this incident at http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=4746501.  I had a quick highlight and mention in it.  As a result of that story, I was contacted by WAQY-FM’s the “Bax and O’Brien Morning Show” serving the Hartford, CT market.  This morning I was honored to be interviewed and you can listen to that interview at http://www.rock102.com/upload/audio/lara_feinberg_1.mp3.  Two states in their listening area, Mass. And CT, are both lacking a Move Over Law.  Hopefully a legislator heard the show and will do something about it!

To keep you up to date with efforts around the nation, here are a few states focusing on Move Over Law education.  Click on the state to read a recent article about their efforts:Colorado , Oregon , Virginia, Wisconsin, Tennessee and Minnesota .

Please don’t forget about our Move Over Press Event with AAA Carolinas at the Lowe’s Motor Speedway on Monday, May 19^th at 10am.  Guest speakers will include Dave Parsons, president an CEO of AAA Carolinas, myself, someone from the North Carolina State Highway Patrol, NC State Rep. Ray Rapp, Tim Hayes, a former Mecklenburg Cty, NC medic who was seriously injured in a struck-by and Jeff Cash with the NC State Firemen’s Association.  If you plan to attend the press event, please RSVP to Carol Gifford with AAA Carolinas at cjgifford@mailaaa.com. 

We are looking for a few people who will be attending in personal vehicles to allow those vehicles to be used in a simulated Move Over demonstration.  We need about five vehicles, so please let me know if you would be available.  We will need you to arrive by 9am on May 19^th.  Also, we are looking to use one tractor-trailer for the simulation.  Again, please let me know if you would have one available by contacting me at Lara@f-o-r-s.com. 

You may have noticed that our “related links” section of our website is currently down.  Please be patient while we have this repaired.

Our MoveOverWI efforts are still underway.  The MoveOverWI website will be released this summer!

Move Over Law posters, designed by North Carolina State Trooper Garrett Barger, depicting Trooper Barger and his friend Dale Earnhardt, Jr. will soon be available!  Additionally, the posters will be turned into billboards!  With the assistance of AAA Carolinas, we hope to see the first billboard up near the Lowe’s Motor Speedway in time for race week!  We will let you know how you can help to fund more of these billboards. On a final note, the month of May includes the national Law Enforcement Memorial Week as well as the National Emergency Responders Memorial Week.  Please keep the families of those who have perished in the line of duty in your thoughts and prayers.  As always, Move Over and Slow Down for Stopped Emergency Vehicles…Our Lives Depend On It!

What happened last month when I asked you to take a thirty-second break and close your eyes?  If you were seated comfortably at your desk at work, you may have been tempted to try it.  However, if you were one of the thousands of men and women who work our nation’s highways, taking thirty-seconds to close your eyes could never happen.  Even five-seconds could mean a matter of life and death.  So, this month, my question goes out to the thousands of men and women who work our nation’s highways…

If you could tell motorists across the U.S. one thing, what would it be? 

Think about your answer before hitting “reply” or sending your response via our contact page because…Next month, I am going to share your responses.  I will, of course, not include your name.  Please, take a minute or two to choose your words carefully.  Remember, we have a lot of folks in the media that will be reading your responses.  Forward this month’s update to everyone you know who is in law enforcement, emergency and public service.  We want motorists to hear from you.  Your words could save your life.

Last month I also asked if you were aware of any Move Over Law educational efforts where you live.  Here is some of the information that I received:

The state of Virginia will begin posting “Move Over” signs statewide.

http://www.tricities.com/tristate/tri/search.apx.-content-articles-TRI-2008-03-20-0013.html

http://www.tricities.com/tristate/tri/search.apx.-content-articles-TRI-2008-03-20-0013.html

The John Petropoulos Memorial Fund in Canada (www.jpmf.ca) has begun a “Driving for Change” campaign!

http://www.jpmf.ca/drivingforchange 

North Carolina State Highway Patrol’s Trooper Garrett Barger and his friend, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. designed a Move Over Law educational poster that will be available in the coming months.  There is a chance we may have posters available signed by Dale, Jr. that will be auctioned on EBay to help raise funds for Families for Roadside Safety (FORS).  We will keep you posted!  Additionally, thanks to Trooper Barger’s hard work, the posters may soon be found on several billboards across North Carolina.  FORS has agreed to assist with funding of a few of the billboards.  Your donations can help us provide even more!  We will agree that if the signed posters are available for auction, that the money raised will go towards the vinyl printing for these billboards ($300/each).

Kudos to the state of Florida!!..The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles has established a statewide Move Over Law Task Force!  Last month the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles hosted a Move Over Law Workshop to focus on new strategies and methods to educate the motoring public about the law and to plan enforcement initiatives to ensure compliance. The workshop included representatives from the Florida Police Chiefs Association, the Florida Sheriffs Association, the Department of Transportation, the Florida Trucking Association, the Emergency Medical Services Union and AAA.  What a wonderful role model that HSMV will be for the rest of the country. 

Finally, an update on Move Over Laws across the United States:   

South Carolina is currently working to amend their law with higher fines and penalties… http://www.scstatehouse.net/sess117_2007-2008/bills/4622.htm

Nebraska has introduced a bill (LB 786) to pass a Move Over Law. This is the 2^nd or 3^rd year that a bill has been introduced in Nebraska.  Although the previous bills did not pass, educational efforts were still done…

http://nebraskalegislature.gov/web/public/home

Maryland…It breaks my heart to say this, but for the umpteenth year in a row, it looks like Maryland’s Move Over Law bill will not succeed.  HB 255, HB 1263, and SB 454 were all reported unfavorably and no action was taken on HB 131.  These can be found under the title “Emergency and Police Vehicle and Personnel Protection Act” at: http://mlis.state.md.us/2008rs/subjects/traffir$.htm

If you have any information on Move Over Law educational efforts or changes to your state’s Move Over Law, please let us know.

As always, Move Over & Slow Down for Stopped Emergency & Public Service Vehicles…Our lives depend on it.