So, as of last Sunday, all of us who drive could be looking at a $100 fine if we don't change lanes to create some space for police cruisers, fire trucks, ambulances, tow trucks or MassHighway maintenance crews that park along state highways to do their jobs.

An editor here made an observation the other night about the potential for accidents when people see an emergency vehicle on the shoulder and then change lanes without looking, so it's definitely worth noting that the new law requires ONLY that you change lanes "if it is safe to do so."
In other words, if you have to cut someone off in order to change lanes, it is also legal to just slow down and stay in the lane you are in.

Having been on a ride-along with the State Police and having parked on the shoulder or in the median of plenty of interstates while covering accidents, I can tell you that these emergency responders aren't kidding when they say it can be nerve-wracking to be standing there when a big SUV or a tractor-trailer rips past you at 70 miles an hour just a few feet away in the closest travel lane.

If you've ever changed a tire on your car while people flew past you on the interstate, you've probably felt that burst of wind that feels like a shock wave when a tractor-trailer passes. It's nerve wracking, at least to me.

So, it's pretty simple really. Change lanes if you can, and slow down if you can't change lanes.

If the courtesy of it doesn't motive you, maybe this will.

It's a picture I took in May of 2006 after this car struck a cruiser that was parked in the median of I-495 in Tewksbury with its lights on.
I'm glad I wasn't in that car. And I'd like to make sure my car never looks quite like this.

There were only minor injuries in that accident too, so be aware that it's on the light side of what can happen when you hit a parked police cruiser while going full-speed on the highway.