Firefighter in North Carolina Remains in Critical Condition After Crash at Fire Scene

PAMLICO COUNTY, NC- Fireengineering.com writes that a woman is still in critical condition following a crash that occurred at the scene of a fire. The victim was working on setting up a roadblock on Highway 306 at its intersection with Bergin Road close to Aurora. A woman traveling northbound tried to veer out of the way of a fire truck and instead struck the victim. The firefighter attempted to avoid the driver but was not able to.*

First responders are at risk when they work at the scene of crashes and other emergencies. The Move Over law is intended to help protect these individuals as they work close to the highway and other roads. When people are forced to work close to fast-moving traffic, there is a high risk of something going wrong. In North Carolina, motorists are required to move one lane over when they are driving past a place where emergency vehicles are on the side of the roadway. Utility vehicles and others who work in these locations are also protected by the Move Over law. 

Motorists approaching these scenes also must slow down and use caution around emergency vehicles and workers. Drivers who are caught violating this law will face $500 fines and possibly have to pay for additional court costs. When a crash leads to death or severe injuries, there is a possibility that the motorist will be charged with a felony. Even drivers who previously had clean records can now face prison time if they injure or kill responders while violating this law. 

Accident News is a safety and education initiative from Montlick & Associates, designed to help people better understand and thereby avoid common accident causes.  To learn more about our injury prevention programs, including iridesafe.com - click here. We hope you are never in an accident, but if you or family member are injured, call Montlick & Associates 24/7 for your free consultation at 1-800-LAW-NEED (1-800-529-6333) or use our live chat at Montlick.com.

Sources:

https://www.fireengineering.com/2020/03/11/485285/north-carolina-firefighter-critical-after-accident-at-fire-scene/#gref

https://www.ncdps.gov/our-organization/law-enforcement/state-highway-patrol/laws/move-over-law

https://wpde.com/news/local/today-harsher-penalties-for-violating-north-carolinas-move-over-law-in-effect