Move-over law gets serious on Quebec roads

Starting Sunday, drivers in Quebec will face stiffer penalties if they fail to respect the "move-over law,"which forces people to slow down and move away from service vehiclesthat havetheir lights on.

This includes emergency vehicles, tow trucks attending toothercarsand surveillance vehicles equipped with flashingyellow arrow signs.

CAA's Cedric Essiminy said a dozen law enforcement and emergency workers are injured in roadside incidents each year. He said sometimes, it's the emergency vehicles that distract drivers.

"You tend to look at it to see what's happening."

The rest of Canada has already implementedsimilar laws. In Quebec, the government followed suit after a police officerwas hit and killed by a vehicle last December.

According to the Canadian Automobile Association's website, the Sret du Qubec recorded about 214 accidents involving vehicles stopped on the road, four of which were fatal and 13 that led to injuries.

Provincial police spokesman Yves Bouchard said every law enforcement and emergency worker has had their own close call on a road.

Drivers who fail to abide by the law can face fines from $200 to $300 and receive a penalty of four demerit points.

The provincial government has also funded commercials andother advertisementsto make drivers aware of the new rules of the road.