NHDOT Worker Reminds Drivers to Follow ‘Move Over Law' After Being Sideswiped

Dashcam video captured the terrifying moment that a New Hampshire Department of Transportation worker was sideswiped by a box truck on the highway.

He's now speaking out, hoping his message will save the lives of his colleagues protecting our roadways.

Chris Quimby pulled over on Interstate 93 in Salem late last week. He says the box truck driver never slowed down, didn't move over, and smashed right into him.

"It was just a shock, I didn't see it coming," Quimby said.

Quimby says he had his amber lights activated, warning drivers of a disabled vehicle ahead.

"As time goes on, the more I do think about it, how fortunate I was, how blessed I was not to sustain serious injury," he said.

NHDOT spokeswoman Eileen Meaney says 25 department vehicles have been hit just since the beginning of this year.

New Hampshire State Police say 11 of their cruisers have been hit roadside in that same time frame.

"With each one of those incidents, I shudder to think about the impact if there were a fatality," Meaney said.

All 50 states have move over laws that require drivers, if possible, to slow down and give a one-lane buffer to emergency personnel with flashing lights.

According to AAA, an average of 24 emergency responders are killed every year in roadside crashes.

"It's someone's family member, it's their loved one," Meaney said.

Quimby says his driver side door was dented into his leg, but he escaped with only minor injuries.

"The bruise isn't bad," he said. "Another inch or two, it would've been a broken femur."

It was a close call that could have killed him, and now, he has a message for fellow drivers sharing the road.

"Just be courteous. Have common decency and human respect," Quimby said. "Realize your daily commute is the most dangerous thing you do every day, for yourself and others."

State police say the truck driver in Quimby's case has been cited for violating the move over law.