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Officers Make Sure Drivers Are Aware Of The 'Move Over Law'

ARVADA, Colo. (CBS4) - Move over or get a ticket. That's the message police are sending out as they step up enforcement of Colorado's Move Over Law.

Police say not knowing the law is not an excuse.

The Move Over Law requires drivers to move over a lane when there's an emergency situation along the shoulder. If the driver can't move over, they must slow down significantly to avoid an accident.

It's a danger police encounter almost daily, which is why the Move Over Law was created.

"That law has requested drivers on a highway or a roadway with two or more adjacent lanes to move over to the next lane," Officer David Snelling with the Arvada Police Department said.

This week Denver area law enforcement is looking to enforce the Move Over Law. They let CBS4's Evrod Cassimy ride along as they looked for drivers in violation.

"A police officer could be doing anything on the side of the road right now," Snelling said.

Within minutes Cassimy saw officers pull several drivers over. One woman claimed she didn't know it was the law.

"For a law that's been in effect for five or six years, not having knowledge of it really shouldn't be an excuse at this point," Snelling said.

The Move Over Law is more than just a law for the Arvada Police Department. It hits close to home. More than 30 years ago one of their own was pulled over on the side of the road during a routine traffic stop when he was hit and killed by a passing motorist. Today a memorial for that officer sits in a glass case in the lobby of the police department. It's a reminder of why they enforce the law.

Minutes into the enforcement police stopped a driver who not only moved over to avoid the traffic stop but nearly missed his exit in doing so.

"Safety is the most critical component. These guys are out here every day trying to do their job. The last thing they need to be is hit," driver Thomas Berry said.

The law has been in effect since 2005. Those who are caught can expect an $87 ticket.

Law enforcement reports that from 1993 to 2009 one officer was hit and killed every month on the nation's highways.

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