Video Shows Cop Narrowly Escape Being Hit By Car During Stop
/ CBS Philadelphia
HAMILTON TOWNSHIP, N.J. (CBS) — A dashboard camera video shows a Mercer County, New Jersey officer narrowly escaping getting hit by a vehicle passing by two patrol cars during a traffic stop last week.
Hamilton Township Police posted video of the incident that happened along Harding Highway on Jan. 19 as a reminder of the importance of adhering to the Move Over Law.
Sometimes people wonder why it is necessary for police to enforce title 39 violations, including 39:4-92.2, better known as the Move Over Law. Motor vehicle stops can be one of the most dangerous times for a police officer, for many reasons, including passing motorists. The Move Over Law was created to direct motorists how to approach stationary authorized emergency vehicles, tow trucks, highway maintenance or emergency service vehicles. When observing a stationary police vehicle with flashing lights activated, motorists should change lanes, if possible, or slow down and proceed slowly and carefully past the emergency vehicle, and always be prepared to stop.
As you will see in this video, Ofc. Bakker was conducting a motor vehicle stop on Harding Highway on January 19th, when he was nearly struck by a passing motorist, but miraculously came away unscathed. This is the exact reason why we ask motorists to please remember to slow down and proceed cautiously, when approaching a stationary emergency vehicle with flashing lights activated.
For more information on the Move Over Law, click on the attached link: http://www.nj.gov/oag/hts/move-over-law/move-over-law-text.html
The Facebook post reads: "This is the exact reason why we ask motorists to please remember to slow down and proceed cautiously, when approaching a stationary emergency vehicle with flashing lights activated."
The officer made it out unscathed, according to the post.
