On Friday a Connecticut State Police Trooper was recovering after police said a drunk driver hit his cruiser and a department of transportation vehicle in Wethersfield; the third crash in the last three days where the Connecticut Move Over law has been broken.
In a world full of distracted driving, not knowing the laws can be just as dangerous.
“Being on the road working is scary,” said Stephen Rice, a highway maintenance crew leader with the Connecticut Department of Transportation.
Rice and thousands of other people rely on drivers to follow the Connecticut Move Over Law.
"The law says you're supposed to slow down and move over a full lane if it's safe to do so, for any stopped emergency vehicles which includes highway maintenance vehicles, DOT, tow trucks, police fire and EMS," said Connecticut State Police Trooper Tyler Weerden.
"I have unfortunately known many people who have been seriously injured and can't work anymore, and a friend was killed a few years ago in Waterbury," said Rice.
Late Thursday night Connecticut State Police said it was a close call for one of their own troopers. A cruiser was hit in a construction zone on Route 3 in Wethersfield.
"You look at the pictures and if someone was standing there we would be dealing with a fatal accident," said Weerden.
State police said 43-year-old Michael Gauvin was drunk driving at around 11 p.m. on Thursday when he lost control, side-swiped a 'crash truck' and ended up on top of a police cruiser. Thankfully, the trooper only had minor injuries.
"It's definitely scare for everyone that's out there working, we try to remind people that the side of the road is our office," said Weerden.
That office had already been crashed into earlier on Thursday. State Police said a construction vehicle was hit in Bridgeport on the Route 8 / Route 25 Connector on Thursday. On Wednesday, officials said a driver with a suspended license hit a DOT 'crash truck' on I-95 in Milford.
"In the last few days we have unfortunately seen a big increase in move over violations," said Weerden.
Police said breaking the law could land drivers with a ticket. However, what really matters is saving lives. Drivers said they’re now taking the law to heart.
"Protect the state workers. Police officers, and anybody else on the sides of the road because their lives matter just as much as ours do," said Connecticut driver, Robert Duprey.
State Police and the Connecticut Department of Transportation said if people cannot safely move over, they must slow down when approaching any vehicles with flashing lights on the roads.
Photo Credit: NBC Connecticut