Locals sound off after state passes new road safety law

LYNN – Carmen Rodriguez is fed up with other drivers who refuse to signal lane changes and coast through stop signs.She’s not alone: Lack of driving courtesy and attention to the rules of the road has prompted State Police to crack down not only on speeders and road-ragers but also people who won’t yield a lane when police stop to aid a stranded motorist.The state’s new Move Over Law aims to protect police and other roadside emergency workers by requiring drivers approaching a stationary emergency or maintenance vehicle with flashing lights to move to the next adjacent lane if it is safe to do so.Failure to yield a lane is punishable by a fine of up to $100.”Making it home safely can be as simple as slowing down and moving over when you are faced with vehicles on the side of the road. Not doing so can have serious or even fatal consequences,” said state highway safety director Sheila Burgess.Every year, first responders across the country are injured or killed while providing emergency roadside help. In recent months, several Massachusetts state troopers have been injured on the job. According to the Merit Rating Board, in 2008 there were nearly 2,000 incidents of drivers refusing to yield to emergency vehicles or following too closely.”People should really have a heightened awareness,” said driver Terry Dansdill who also wants police to keep motorists off cellular telephones.Jill Da Silva said seat belt enforcement is crucial to saving lives. She sees teen-age drivers who ignore the requirement. Londoner Jonathan Dack said the American attitude toward driving is oriented around giving young people the keys rather than training them and preparing them properly to handle every scenario the road can throw at them.”The roundabouts can be the worst,” he said Wednesday as he contemplated a morning commute through Revere’s rotaries.