A Georgia volunteer firefighter who was almost killed when he was struck by a car during a call is urging drivers to obey the state's "Move Over" law.
"When they see these emergency vehicles on the side of the road, it's mothers and fathers, and grandparents that are out there trying to assist the injured or assist the accident," Oconee County firefighter Spence Dalton told WXIA-TV.
Dalton had part of the response to clear away a tree that had been knocked down by a storm June 6. That's when an allegedly intoxicated driver struck him, seriously injuring the firefighter.
The accident left Dalton with severe facial injuries, nearly tearing his nose from his face and breaking it in three places. He also suffered a broken pelvis and will require back and knee surgery.
"Seeing these two small kids looking at their father with these severe facial injuries and being upset just broke my heart, and I really just wanted to help them get back on their feet and back to a normal life," Jeremiah Van Dora, Dalton's lawyer who is trying to help the firefighter increase awareness of Georgia's "Move Over" law, told WXIA.
In Georgia, drivers are required to move over to the next lane or slow down and be prepared to stopped when a responding emergency vehicle has its lights and siren on. The law went into effect in 2016, and it carries up to a $500 fine.
Spence will not be able to return to work for several months as he recovers from his injuries, according to WXIA.
