Highway patrol

State Patrol says drivers still not moving over

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• published: 27 Aug 2014
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Sgt. Scott Wahl is a veteran of the Minnesota State Highway Patrol and has yet to see a day where drivers are 100 percent compliant with the Ted Foss Move Over Law. "I've personally responded to crashes where partners have been hit at roadside after traffic stops and I've had partners that have been injured," Wahl said. "Unfortunately, trooper Foss was killed due to that." While patrolling I–94 in Minneapolis Wednesday morning, Sgt. Wahl made his usual stops for various traffic violations. It didn't take long to spot one driver after another failing to move over with the sergeant's car parked on the shoulder. Some people said they couldn't do it safely. Yet there were others who said they had no idea the law existed. For a law that's more than a decade old, state troopers say ignorance is one of the most surprising things. "It seems like we've had numerous campaigns telling people we're out there working, and we're going to be enforcing it," Wahl said. But every traffic stop reminds them that the message hasn't reached everyone just yet. "You know, there are times again where you don't have the ability to move over," Wahl said. "Pay attention to your driving. Acknowledge our presence. Change your driving behavior. There's no reason we should be hit on the side of the road." The State Patrol says slowing down isn't always the best option when drivers don't have the ability to move over, because slowing down too much can create a dangerous situation. The best thing to do in those situations is to avoid distractions and pay attention to your driving. Delane Cleveland http://twelve.tv http://www.facebook.com/12localnews http://twitter.com/12Sports Learn about our mobile app - http://bit.ly/CH12app Channel 12 is on Comcast cable in the northwest suburbs of Minneapolis and includes the cities Brooklyn Center, Brooklyn Park, Crystal, Golden Valley, Maple Grove, New Hope, Osseo, Plymouth and Robbinsdale.