March 21, 2023 A Pennsylvania State Police trooper was outside a patrol SUV while helping a disabled vehicle in Bucks County when a BMW crashed into the back of the cruiser, pushing it into the other vehicle.
By Sarah Cassi Source The Express-Times Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
A driver was injured and a Pennsylvania State Police trooper had to jump to safety early Monday morning when a car crashed into the back of a stopped state police SUV in Bucks County, authorities said.
A little before 5 a.m. Monday, troopers from the Trevose Station were stopped to help a disabled vehicle on I-295 East, near mile marker 0.7 in Bristol Township.
A trooper was outside the SUV when a BMW sedan crashed into the back of the patrol vehicle, pushing the patrol SUV into the disabled vehicle, state police aid.
A trooper had to jump over a concrete median to avoid being struck, and had minor injuries. The driver of the BMW was injured and taken to Saint Mary’s Medical Center, state police said.
In Pennsylvania, the Steer Clear law requires drivers to move over for all emergency responders, including state police, PennDOT personnel and roadside assistance vehicles.
If a driver can’t safely change lanes, they must slow down to no more than 20 mph below the posted speed limit.
In 2020 Pennsylvania increased the law’s penalties. Fines range from $500 for a first offense up to $2,000 for a third offense, and a violation would add two points to a person’s driving record. The changes mirror penalties for construction zone violations.
Last month in Warren County, an EMT was hurt and New Jersey State Police vehicles, an ambulance and a firetruck damaged when a tow truck barreled through a crash scene on Interstate 80.