A weekend crash involving a Fredericton fire truck may become a test case for New Brunswick’s new “move over” legislation.
Police say the truck was responding to another crash when it was struck by a car Saturday.
“There’s strengtheners and stuff put in there and, of course, the bumpers are not a collapsible bumper like you’d see on a regular vehicle,” says Inspector Cameron Dunn of the Fredericton Fire Department of the damage to the truck.
Both incidents remain under investigation, and police say a charge could be laid under the province’s new move over law.
“It’s certainly going to be explored during the course of the investigation,” says Danielle Carmichael of the Fredericton Police Force. “This is a prime example of why those changes were made to the Motor Vehicle Act.”
The new law requires drivers who come upon emergency vehicles with their flashing lights on to slow down and pull over.
Emergency officials say it is designed to give first responders the room they need to work safely.
The legislation came into effect three weeks ago.
“If there’s two lanes you need to move to the left lane. If we’re in the left lane, you move to the right lane, you know, give us the room we need when we’re on scene,” says Dunn.
“There’s a lot of times where people are watching the accident and they’re not paying attention to what we’re doing and where they’re going, and they need to do that.”
With files from CTV Atlantic's Andy Campbell
