PHOTO: Assemblyman Dave Rible sought to raise awareness of the “Move Over” law in New Jersey during a press conference held yesterday.

Rible, a former police officer, said it is crucial to bring a renewed awareness to the 2009 law that requires motorists to slow down and change lanes when approaching emergency workers on the state’s roadways, following several accidents that resulted in the injury of two Pine Beach officers and the death of a Waldwick officer.

The assemblyman also mentioned the recent incident in which two State Police officers escaped injury when a Jeep side-swiped a vehicle pulled over along the side of Interstate 195 in Upper Freehold Township.

“It is because of these continued accidents in which motorists fail to switch lanes when approaching emergency responders that I find it crucial to raise awareness now of the Move Over law,” Rible said. “While I appreciate the fact that there are motorists who do abide by this law, those who break this law continue to endanger the lives of emergency workers, including police officers.”

Wall Township Police Chief Robert Brice Jr. also stressed the importance of the Move Over law.

“The Move Over law’s sole purpose is to ensure the safety of police, emergency and construction workers on our highways. It is very simple for drivers to always slow down under the speed limit when approaching red, blue, or amber lights – and to move over when possible and safe to do so,” Chief Brice said.

Assemblyman Rible was joined during the press conference by members of the law enforcement community, representatives from the highway construction industry and Donna Setaro, the mother of Marc Castellano, the New Jersey State Trooper who was struck and killed by a motorist while responding to a call in June 2010.

[TLS]