The Iowa State Patrol warned against distracted driving by posting photos of a wrecked patrol car on their Facebook page yesterday. The photos show a patrol car struck on Highway 163 while the officer was out of the vehicle working an a fatality accident.

Iowa State Patrol
Iowa State Patrol
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My first thought was thank goodness the officer was out of the vehicle and directing traffic. My second thought was how oblivious are you to road conditions that you barrel through an accident scene and take out a police car?

I'm sure you've seen the signs. Move over or slow down for stopped emergency or maintenance vehicles. It's the law. This summer the State of Iowa expanded the law to include any parked or disabled vehicle with flashing lights. This according to an article in the Des Moines Register.

The responses to the Iowa State Patrol's Facebook post seem to indicate that isn't what's happening a lot of the time.

The paper provided the following advice to drivers, "A good rule of the road is to change lanes or slow down anytime you are approaching a vehicle that is slow moving, stopped or stranded on the shoulder, if you can safely do so."

It's good advice and it'll keep our police officers, paramedics, fire department personnel and tow truck drivers safe. It'll also keep us safe should we wind up stranded on the side of the road.

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