OLYMPIA — Move over or slow down as you pass emergency personnel at work, or you may get a ticket.
Beginning Friday, State Patrol troopers will begin enforcement of the emergency zone law that went into effect Jan. 1.
The law requires motorists to slow down or move over when passing stationary emergency vehicles on the side of the highway.
The fine is $124. That will be doubled if the motorist also is guilty of breaking another law, such as speeding, said Dan Coon, State Patrol spokesman.
The first 90 days the law went into effect, troopers only told motorists about the law. The legislation had directed the State Patrol to conduct this education period.
As of Friday, troopers will begin writing tickets.
They will not conduct “sting” or emergency zone emphases, the State Patrol said, but instead will ticket motorists on a case-by-case basis or as incidents occur.
The law was built on an earlier “move over” law and creates a 200-foot zone around stationary emergency vehicles that have their lights activated.
Emergency vehicles include police cars, fire and emergency medical service vehicles, tow trucks and state Department of Transportation vehicles.
The Washington state Legislature passed the original “move over” law in 2007.
However, despite this change, the problem continued to get worse, the State Patrol said.
Between 2006 and 2009 alone, the State Patrol had 80 collisions involving passing vehicles striking trooper vehicles parked alongside the highway.
The major contributing factor in these collisions was speeding or driving too fast for conditions, followed by driving while intoxicated, the State Patrol said.