JEFFERSON CITY, MO. -- It's summer time and that means roadwork is in full swing.
More people are filling the roadways taking vacations and traveling and as they do, they should be aware of what's going on around them and take precautions in order to keep themselves and other drivers around them safe.
In Friday's Facebook story of the day KRCG's Meghan Lane spoke with the Missouri State Highway Patrol about how they stay safe on the roads and how you can help.
Officers learn Missouri State Highway Patrol's safety procedures at the beginning of their careers.
In the academy, Missouri State Highway Patrol Captain Tim Hull said there's a section in the curriculum called "Stop and Approach".
"The basics and mechanics of how to position your vehicle, what to expect, what to try to expect and how to prepare yourself for any type of situation," Hull said.
Hull said officers not only want to keep themselves safe, but also the traffic around them.
"When the officer gets out he has to position the vehicle, approach the vehicle and with that mindset he's gotta watch the traffic, he's also gotta watch the hands, and there maybe multiple occupants in the vehicle," Hull said.
After a truck pulling a trailer rear-ended a patrol car and killed an officer, Missouri adopted the "Move Over Law.”
The law is meant to better protect those who protect us.
"It it's a 4 lane highway and there are 2 lanes going the same direction, move into that other lane, slow down and proceed with caution," Hull said.
The highway patrol said if it's only a one lane highway or you are unable to move over, slow down, be alert and use extreme caution.
"When those lights are activated, they are required to move over and that's what the move over law is about," Hull said.
While officers worry about the traffic speeding by, they also must be leery of the vehicle they're stopping.
"It could be somebody who's maybe going a little bit too fast, who's late for work, or something very common but it could also be somebody unbeknownst to the officer, it could be somebody that just committed a crime," Hull said.
For law enforcement officers on the road, cell phones almost have become a double-edged sword.
Texting and driving has caused many crashes, but they've also been helpful in certain situations.
"With people breaking down, and reporting crimes and accidents cell phones have been a really big benefit because people can call us at *55 and they can call us instead of stopping at the next exit and using a land-line," Hull said.
The highway patrol's academy teaches safety to their own recruits along with those from other departments across the state.
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