The inaugural Move Over Awareness Festival took place in Clinton Square in Syracuse Saturday to bring awareness to New York’s Move Over Law.

“The countrywide statistic is one tower a week is getting hit and killed on the United States road ways. That’s more than law enforcement, fire, police, even road side workers who have more exposure than we do,” Christopher Morin, Towing and Recovery manager for Big Red Towing, said.

The Move Over Law was enacted back in 2011 after a NYS trooper and Onondaga County Sheriff officer were killed in the line of duty while their patrol vehicles were stopped on the side of the road. The law was amended in 2016 to not only require drivers to slow down and move over for emergency vehicles, but hazard vehicles such as two trucks, construction and sanitation vehicles.

“Most people really don’t have a clue what it’s like to be working on the side of a highway. You’re walking down sidewalks in Syracuse and vehicles are running 25, 30 miles an hour We’re out on I-90 or 81 where vehicles are accessed 75, 80 miles an hour plus,” Morin said.

“We’ve had several tragedies throughout the years regarding vehicles not moving over to emergency vehicles or hazard vehicles. The last one we had was February of this year, on the parkway. A tow truck operator lost his life because a motorist failed to move over,” Sgt. John Seeber, PIO Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office, added.

Morin said he was actually at that scene.

“It’s a very important event, we hope that we can get this message out to the public and let them be better aware of what they’re supposed to do when they come to a situation when they approach emergency vehicles on the side of the road,” Sgt. Seeber said of the Move Over Festival.

There are three points for moving violations. For drivers who have a first offense moving violation, it is up to a $275 dollar fine, plus state surcharge. The second offense is up to a $450 dollar fine, plus state surcharge. The third offense is up to a $750 dollar fine, plus state surcharge.