New York Trooper’s Vehicle Struck By Car on Palisades Parkway

A New York State trooper is lucky to be alive after being involved in a crash on Tuesday.

If you ask most people what the most dangerous part of being a police officer is they will probably say it has to do with the possibility of being shot or injured while dealing with criminals. While that is certainly a hazard of the job, one of the most dangerous parts of a police officer's day is the time spent on the side of the road.

Over the past few decades, there have been several fatalities of first responders who were killed by drivers on the road. This is the reason New York's Move Over Law was passed, requiring drivers to move out of the right lane when an officer is pulled over.

The importance of this law was demonstrated on Tuesday when a State Trooper's vehicle was struck by a vehicle that failed to move over on the Taconic State Parkway.

According to New York State Police, a trooper was conducting a traffic stop when the accident occurred. Photos show that a black Toyota traveling in the right lane rear-ended the patrol car, sustaining significant to the front passenger side of their vehicle. The police car was also damaged on its back right bumper.

Luckily, the trooper was out of the vehicle speaking with a motorist when the incident occurred and was uninjured. There was no report on the condition of the driver.

The New York State Police Department used this opportunity to remind drivers to be extra cautions when an emergency vehicle is pulled over to the side of the road. The Move Over Law requires drivers to move a full lane over when if possible. In cases where it's not safe to do so, the driver is required to reduce their speed.  It's unclear if the driver in this case followed the law or if the narrow lanes of the Taconic and position of other drivers contributed to the accident.