By Greg Slater, November 15, 2019
Greg Slater is the Maryland state highway administrator.
Being the Maryland state highway administrator is a role
that requires a lot of early mornings and late nights out on the road and in
communities. As I am out there, one of the things that always makes me smile is
seeing one of our dedicated employees on the road helping someone in need, or
getting a call, email or letter from those who were helped.
Three years ago, I was driving back from a community meeting
late one night, and I heard a voice come across the radio unit in my vehicle
that simply said, “I’ve been hit.”
Our operations center responded, “Please clarify, your
vehicle has been hit, or you have been hit?” There was no response.
Our incident response representative was hit by a passing
vehicle while he was outside his truck with its lights on. Fortunately, he was
not killed that night. The time that passed until we located our team member
was the longest 10 minutes of my more than 20-year career in state government.
I remember thinking about the family members involved and
hoping their loved one was okay.
Fast-forward three years — on the anniversary of the
expanded “
Move Over” law
designed to protect people from this very situation
— I was preparing to go live on television when I received an alert on my
phone. There was a two-vehicle crash on the Capital Beltway. Our Coordinated
Highways Action Response Team driver pulled behind the crash to assist, exited
his truck with lights on and was grazed by a passing vehicle. The driver did
not even stop.
These are just two stories that illustrate our challenge;
two examples of many that happen every year to our employees on the road
helping motorists or taking care of our vitally important transportation
infrastructure. Two examples out of the many law enforcement officers who are
struck while keeping us safe on the roads. Two examples out of many of ordinary
Marylanders who are struck when they simply had a flat tire or car trouble and
had to get out of their vehicle.
All of these incidents can be avoided and our personnel can
go home safely and uninjured at the ends of their shifts if we all just move
over, slow down and drive with great attention and care when passing a vehicle
on the side of the road or when we drive through an area where people are
working.
In the past year, law enforcement personnel issued more than
17,000 citations and warnings to motorists who violated the Move Over law. It
requires motorists to move into the nearest adjacent lane away from shoulder
activity of emergency personnel and service workers or to slow down if they
cannot safely move into another lane. Violators face a maximum fine of $750 and
three points.
Our courageous law enforcement officers, paramedics,
maintenance crews and service responders are working within inches of vehicles
traveling at high speeds. As you are traveling this beautiful state, please
give these dedicated professionals who are our fathers, mothers, sons,
daughters, spouses and friends the room they need to do their jobs safely and
ensure they make it home. I see and experience a truly amazing and dedicated
workforce every day helping people in need, taking care of our transportation
system, picking up litter, cutting grass, clearing snow and ice from the
system, and working to keep us a little safer. Working alongside these women
and men, I see the pride they take in our mission. They deserve a safe
workplace, and they deserve to get home to their families. Please, move over,
Maryland.
