Our police officers protect us from harm by making sure motorists aren’t speeding or driving recklessly on our streets.

Our tow truck drivers protect us from harm by making sure damaged or otherwise immobile vehicles are cleared from the roadway so that we can travel safely.

Our utility workers protect us from harm by making sure our phone lines are working so we can call 911, our cable is working so we can see important weather or other emergency information, and by making sure there’s electricity to power it all.

In turn, the very least we can do to protect them is to slow down and move over when those folks are working on the side of the road.

Yet, as News reporter Julie Riddle revealed in Wednesday’s edition of The News, many motorists continue to ignore what should be a simple courtesy, despite a new state law that toughens penalties for drivers who fail to slow down or move over for emergency or utility personnel.

We find this shameful.

You might think you’re a good driver, in constant control of your vehicle, but anything could happen on that roadside that could put something or someone in front of your vehicle in the blink of an eye, and you may not have time to react. Even if you don’t strike a roadside crew with your vehicle, speeding past too close could fling asphalt or other debris their way, seriously injuring them.

You shouldn’t need the threat of a ticket to convince you to slow down and move over. You should know that those folks are out there working for you, and easing off the accelerator should just be a common courtesy.

Slow down. Move over.

(THE ALPENA NEWS)