Fatal accidents involving roadside workers are a rising problem in Northeast Ohio.
Over the past 5 years, Ohio Highway Patrol cruisers, alone, were involved in 58 crashes related to the Move Over law.
Those crashes resulted in 2 deaths and 58 injuries.
Move over, slow down- it's the law and it's an issue we've been investigating for months.
RELATED: Dangerous drivers continue to put Ohio roadside workers at risk
"Every time we do our job were pulling over on the side of the road, we've got people blowing by us, we can't get anyone to slow down or move over," Jay Marek, with Rich's Towing, said.
"We've all lost people because of a vehicle traveling off the road and striking someone just doing their job," Highway Patrol Lt. Rob Gable told News 5.
Per the Move Over law, drivers are supposed to move over one lane when approaching any vehicle with flashing lights. If they can't, they're supposed to slow down.
RELATED: Caught on Camera: Dozens of motorists refuse to move over for emergency vehicles
In our recent coverage, we introduced a company, Brekford, that's working on technology that is closing the gap when it comes to issues enforcing the law - a camera system that mounts into or onto any roadside vehicle to detect offenders.
RELATED: New tech aims to ticket drivers who don't move over or slow down for emergency vehicles
"To find out this kind of technology existed? I was ecstatic, I couldn't call you fast enough," Marek said to News 5.
We helped connect him to Brekford President and COO, Rod Hillman.
"When Jay called us, as a result of that? We were like of course, we'd be glad to come out," Hillman said.
"It's a complex tracking radar that can identify the speeds and the precise distances. The radar knows whether you're in the adjacent lane or you've been able to move over," Hillman said.
The camera's system pulls out violations specifically, not just hours of video, making evidence gathering, or issuing of a warning/citation possible.
"Within ten minutes we had 22 violations," Marek said.
Hillman said he recognizes that using camera technology for citations is a controversial issue in Ohio and across the country. He explained their system can be used to issue warnings, proven to help create awareness of not only the law but the problem.
"Our goal right now is to test them and provide data," Hillman said.
The camera mounts on a vehicle providing a 180-degree angle view, combining the camera, with speed and distance tracking, as well as proof the emergency lights were flashing making evidence gathering, a warning or a citation possible.
"Brekford allowed us to be the only one in the Cleveland market to test their system," Marek said, "We have two units on our tow trucks and Macedonia police department has a unit mounted on their traffic car."
RELATED: Ohio Highway Patrol aggressively enforcing 'Move Over' law
"Too many of us are getting hit and killed. The only way to curb those numbers is for law enforcement to be there, to ticket people, or this is the next step," Marek said.
