Cape Coral, FL – Florida Highway Patrol is renewing its push for drivers to follow the state’s Move Over Law after a trooper was seriously injured in a roadside crash on the Cape Coral Bridge.
According to Florida Highway Patrol, Trooper Kirk was finishing a crash investigation on July 31, 2022, when a driver failed to move over and slammed into the back of his patrol car. He suffered a torn rotator cuff, dislocated shoulder, and nerve damage that kept him off duty for eight months.
Trooper Kirk said the crash permanently changed how he approaches roadside safety. “No one means to hit someone on the side of the road — but it happens,” he said. “If people just move over or slow down 20 miles per hour, this is 100% preventable.”
The Move Over Law requires drivers to change lanes — or slow down if unable to do so — for stopped law enforcement, first responders, tow trucks, and now any vehicle displaying hazard lights or emergency signage.
Florida Highway Patrol reminds drivers that moving over isn’t just the law, it saves lives. “Think of it as your loved one on the side of the road,” Kirk said. “You’d want drivers to move over.”
This article was produced by a journalist and may include AI-assisted input. All content is reviewed for accuracy and fairness.
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