HAHIRA, Ga. (WALB) — Following the death of a Hahira officer struck during a routine traffic stop, local law enforcement officials are demanding tougher penalties for drivers who ignore the state’s “Move Over Law.”

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The law states that when drivers approach emergency vehicles, highway support vehicles, or service vehicles with flashing lights, they are required to change lanes. If that’s not possible, they must slow down.

Georgia Penalties for Violations

In Georgia, violations come with a $500 fine and three license points.

A national AAA report documented 46 emergency responders killed by vehicles while working roadside incidents in 2024 alone.

Captain Angel Bradford from the Albany Police Department (APD) said she believes the current penalties are not nearly severe enough to stop the violations.

“How do you put a dollar sign on a human life? And certainly $500 doesn’t even come close,” Bradford, who oversees special operations including traffic, said.

She said the impact goes far beyond the fine itself.

“You’re still talking about a human life,” Bradford said. “It doesn’t replace the loved one that’s been lost, the burden that the family experiences through the loss of the life, the loss of income, the morale to the department. And to all law enforcement.”

The Dangers First Responders Face

Bradford said many people misunderstand the dangers law enforcement officers face.

“Most people think that the majority of the officers killed in the line of duty are shot or killed with a knife or something like that,” Bradford said. “And actually most of them are killed in motor vehicle crashes.”

In her decades of service with APD, Bradford said she has witnessed the danger firsthand. A truck struck her patrol car’s side mirror during a traffic stop.

“I wasn’t hurt, but that’s how close the guy got to me,” she recalled.

The weight of these dangers extends across the entire law enforcement community. “Anytime an officer’s killed in the line of duty, we all feel it, no matter where it happens,” Bradford said.

The Hahira tragedy has resonated deeply across the region, with officers changing their profile pictures to the Hahira badge in solidarity.

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How the Move Over Law Should Work

Georgia State Patrol (GSP) offered guidance: When you approach emergency vehicles with flashing lights, change lanes to create distance between your vehicle and theirs. If you cannot safely change lanes, reduce your speed below the posted limit and prepare to stop.

Are Harsher Penalties the Answer?

When asked whether drivers should face steeper consequences, Bradford said they should and pointed to multiple options beyond financial penalties.

“Jail time,” Bradford said. “And certainly the loss of their privilege to drive. Because that’s what it is in the state of Georgia. It’s a privilege. It’s not a right.”

State Comparisons

Some lawmakers in Georgia have called for stricter penalties and stronger enforcement, pointing to other states that have taken more aggressive approaches.

Virginia, for example, has fines that reach up to $2,500, five times Georgia’s current penalty. Many states also require drivers to slow down to 20 miles per hour below the speed limit when passing emergency vehicles.

A Call to Action

Captain Bradford gave a message to Georgia drivers:

“I’m just encouraging people to pay attention. The flashing lights, they’re there for a reason. And it’s to warn people that there’s something going on. Please move over.”

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