A radio personality in New Jersey is not a fan of that state's 'Move Over Law' that protects first responders at roadside incidents from being struck by passing vehicles—and the union that represents rank-and-file State Police troopers is on the offensive in defense of the law.
Wayne Blanchard, president of the State Troopers' Fraternal Association, issued a statement in which he said that 101.5 radio host Judi Franco is "trampling on the graves of fallen police officers" when she wrote in an opinion piece that it's "a silly law that requires a driver to move over when they see police, maintenance, tow truck and other emergency vehicles and personnel on the shoulder."
Franco continued in the post on the station's website, "Duh. No one is going to deliberately run into to someone on the side of a road."
According to the Asbury Park Press, Franco is opposed to changes in the law that would add to the current $100-$500 financial penalty two "points" against a driver's record, which would in turn affect that individual's insurance rate.
The law rose in prominence when New Jersey State Trooper Marc Castellano—who is survived by his wife and two children—died of injuries sustained when he was struck by a vehicle while searching for a suspect just a year and a half after the law took effect.
The radio personality's post concluded, "A dead cop is sad. But a horrible tragedy doesn’t warrant a law that puts other drivers at risk and is almost impossible to enforce."
