(SMITHS FALLS, ON) – On July 19, 2016, officers from the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Highway Safety Division and Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Unit (HSD/CVEU) and assisted by officers from Stormont Dundas and Glengarry (SD&G) detachment conducted a Move Over Initiative on Highway 417 in North Glengarry Township and Highway 401 in South Stormont/South Dundas Township.
Officers conducted approximately 6 hours of enforcement on the highways and the following charges were laid:
Fail to Move Over – 104
Seat Belts – 5
Speeding – 11
Compulsory Automobile Insurance Act – 1
Other Highway Traffic Act – 8
Suspended Driver – 1
The OPP would like the motoring public to remember that the Move Over Law was enacted in Ontario in 2003 as a means of protecting emergency services who are actively working on our roads and highways. Since 1989, the OPP have seen five (5) officers killed in the line of duty, on the roadside, when they and/or their vehicles were hit by other drivers. These deaths could have been prevented if the motorist had slowed down and safely moved over one lane.
A conviction for a first offence of this law will result in a fine of from $400 to $2,000 and three demerit points plus a possible licence suspension for up to two years. A subsequent offence within five years of the first conviction will result in a fine of from $1,000 to $4,000, possible jail time of up to six months, and a possible licence suspension for up to two years.
The OPP want to ensure that every driver understands and respects the Move Over law as the safety of emergency personnel and motorists is a paramount concern.