ORLANDO, Fla. — Sgt. Timothy Wood knows firsthand the dangers of being a first responder.

• 'Move Over Month' to encourage drivers to abide by the law
• Drivers supposed to move over, slow down when seeing flashing lights
• Fines for not following the law range from $132 to $164

"As the trailer came by me, it hit my door and almost took my leg, and (I) didn't even really realize until afterwards, watching the video, that it hit my leg."

He's describing a dash cam video that shows the moment he’s talking about. Just last year on Interstate 4 near World Drive, a tractor trailer lost control, the backend skidding into his patrol cruiser.

"The door had flown open and flew back on my leg, because I was kind of in shock," Wood said.

Wood shared his close call as part of "Move Over Month."

It's a push across Florida reminding drivers that it’s the law to move over or slow down when you see lights, reflectors, or vests.

This law was enacted in 2002, but law enforcement said it hasn’t significantly reduced the amount of incidents.

One of the biggest issues authorities see are distracted drivers paying more attention to their phones than the road.

"Think about if you go to a restaurant," Wood said.  "If you look around the restaurant at the people eating dinner … everyone of them are on the phone, because you can’t put that phone down. Now you take everyone in the restaurant and put them in the car.  They can’t put that phone down."

On Thursday, Spectrum News learned at a special press event at FHP Headquarters in Orlando that safety for those public servants is still a major issue for those public servants that are conducting work on the side of the road.  Last year, 185 crashes were reported as a result of drivers violating the mover over law and 17,000 citations were given out.

It is not about law enforcement either — the law includes any service vehicle with their lights flashing at the side of the road including fire trucks, garbage trucks, public utilities, tow trucks, and road rangers. 

The law works like this: If you see any of those flashing lights of stopped vehicles, you need to move over a lane. If you can’t move over, you need to reduce your speed 20 mph lower than the posted speed limit.

Fines for not following the law range from $132 to $164. Wood is advocating for an increase until people get the point.

He says that should just be common sense.

"It should be courtesy" he said.  "… I mean, you're changing a tire on the side of the road, you should have somebody move over for you, but we made the law, because it’s law enforcement. It should be a law no matter who is on the side of the road."