Three seconds and Move Over Law

Lt. Tanner Blakesley's car was struck at full highway speed, which was propelled into
another vehicle that struck Lt. Blakesley and seriously injured him. 

Lt. Tanner Blakesley

By Lt. Tanner Blakesley, K28

I was a road trooper in the Topeka area for two years when I woke up in a ditch. The driver of the vehicle we had stopped was standing over me, asking me if I was okay. I realized I had been hit by my patrol car after a passing vehicle struck the rear of my car at full highway speed. Since that day, I have become a strong enforcer of the "Move Over Law."

That January was the first day I was training a new trooper. We had stopped a vehicle on I-470 in Topeka, and it became necessary to have the occupants exit their vehicle. I exited the patrol vehicle to help the new trooper with this task. I approached the driver's side of the vehicle, got the driver out of his car, searched him, and escorted him into the ditch.

During this time, several cars had not moved over. I diverted my attention from traffic and towards the new trooper while he had the passenger exit the vehicle. The next thing I remember is waking up in the ditch. I did not know what had happened. I was able to put the parts of my broken memory together after seeing the video from my patrol car cameras and talking to individuals at the scene. There’s nothing like seeing video of yourself launched off your vehicle's windshield into the air.

Three seconds after walking between the stopped vehicle and my patrol car, another vehicle hit the rear of my patrol car. The impact of my patrol car being hit propelled it into the vehicle I had stopped. Unfortunately, I was hit by the corner of the patrol car and thrown into the ditch. Three seconds later and my life, along with the driver of the stopped vehicle, could have been very different. Most likely, we both would have died that day because of a careless driver not moving over for emergency workers on the side of the road.

After waking up, I didn’t know just how bad I had been hurt. The new trooper checked on me first and told me not to move. I could see the new trooper was taking control of the crash scene. Luckily, he had managed to dive over the guard rail and escape serious injury.

Even though I knew I was hurt, I had adrenaline pumping through my body and got myself up and went up the ditch to help. I quickly realized my injuries were serious; I had to sit down and wait for more help. It would be four months before I returned to work, but I know I was lucky to be alive and lucky to be able to even go back to work.

Vehicles must Move Over or Slow Down for emergency vehicles and work crews not just because it is what the law requires, but because when a vehicle does not, it doesn't allow time for those in the way to react and try to get out of harm’s way. It's easy to become complacent when every day you see many cars not moving over.

Three seconds on one cold January day could have ended differently for several people because of one individual's carelessness and disregard of the Move Over Law. 

Lt. Tanner Blakesley is with the Kansas Highway Patrol