An EMT was killed while assisting at a traffic accident here in San Diego. Fortunately, I wasn't there, but I take that route most every time as I drive home. One lane slows for some reason and the other lane is moving. . . blind curve and then there's an even worse accident and an unnecessary death. Sad.

Yes, very tragic. Especially after reading that part of the article where EMT Bahena posted that he loved his job on his Facebook page just hours before he was killed. RIP

A bit tangential to the actual event, but I just happened to be thinking about it this morning--I bet that the vast majority of California drivers have no idea that we have had a "move over" law in this state for several years now. The way that many people drive on the freeway and use the slow lane, or even the right hand exit lane, for passing at high speed has always made me cringe. I certainly wouldn't want to be someone who regularly has to stand by the edge of a freeway.

They need to make a point of enforcing that Move Over law for a while. The word will spread.

Some people who know about it will say, "But there was no room to move over -- traffic wouldn't let me in".

THEN SLOW DOWN and be in control!

Sue

I see people that don't even move over on non highway roads anymore. I see some speed up when they see the flashing lights behind them and others just slow down and stop in the lane they are in and the firetruck/ambulance/police have to come up behind and lay on the horn.

And then there are the ones who only see traffic magically opening up in front of them . . . .

Probably so, they are the ones that want to pass me when I start to pull back into the lane I was in.

She needs to have the book thrown at her. Too often as an EMT you're dodging traffic and trying to get into wrecked cars at teh same time. Folks get away with crap on these scenes all the time, since the cops are already tied up.

Vehicular manslaughter, failure to yield, failure to obey the "move over law," etc. Get everything possible on her, let the media play it up, maybe save someone elses life.

Whatever she was doing, she obviously wasn't in control.

And check her cell phone.

Rain, excess speed, cell phone to ear -- I see it all the time.

Sue

If I see emergency vehicles stopped on the side of the road I pull into the farthest lane from them but a fair number of times I do not see them until I am right up on them, and it is not safe to change lanes.

Its the law in Illinois too. Lots of signs proclaiming it, so no excuses about not knowing its the law.

Then I have to question...

Is it b/c there are lots of hills, curves, obstructions?

Or are you not looking far enough down the road?