COLUMBUS, Ohio — In a recent safety initiative, troopers with the Ohio State Highway Patrol joined forces with law enforcement officers from five other states to crack down on drivers who failed to ‘Move Over.’
Ohio law requires all drivers to move over or slow down when passing an emergency vehicle while its flashing lights are activated.
The Move Over Law exists in all 50 states, but law enforcement officers from six states spent the week of July 18-24 driving home just how important it is. Since 2016, a total of 56 Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers have been hit on the road while responding to incidents.
One of those troopers, Jason Hoffman, is still dealing with his injuries.
Hoffman was investigating a crash on U.S. 42 near Interstate 70 when a car struck him. He was unconscious for two weeks as a result.
“I had three fractures in my hips, the top of my left femur was broken. I had a broken rib. I fractured my L-5 vertebrae, and I sustained a traumatic brain injury,” said Hoffman.
It was a painful time for him, his family, and his coworkers.
“I know they faced some difficult times, but they were there by my side,” said Hoffman. “The support, my brothers and sisters from around here and the community just gave them, helped them through everything.”
Hoffman’s story is just one of the reasons why OSHP is placing an emphasis on highway safety.
During the week-long initiative, troopers spanning six states issued more than 1,000 citations to drivers who failed to move over. According to an update from OSHP, 546 of those citations were issued to Ohio drivers.
“The root of everything is just to pay attention,” said Hoffman. “If you were broke down at the side of the road, would you want people whizzing by you on the interstate? Move over if you can, or if they can't move over, slow down.”
"It only takes a few seconds," Hoffman added.