If you're going to be driving this long weekend police want you to make sure you do something that a lot of drivers aren't doing.

More than 15-hundred people were charged last year for failing to move over for emergency vehicles. 

Police say it’s a law that is being overlooked.

CTV News asked several drivers if they knew what to do if they came upon an emergency situation on the side of the road. The responses were varied: “Move away from them,” quipped one motorist. “Get out of the way of the police,” said another.

Most drivers know the law states they should move over and give officers some safe space but many drivers still don't do as they should.

(sergeant kerry scmidt o.p.p. to driver 5:40)

“It's a $400 fine. You’re required to move over when you see stopped emergency vehicles,” says OPP Sgt. Kerry Scmidt.

Sergeant Schmidt says it's easy for drivers to be distracted.

One motorist told CTV News, “I slowed down but I didn't remember what to do to be perfectly honest.”

But Schmidt says a distracted driver can be a deadly driver.

“It's frightening when you’re on the road seeing these cars coming at you so close. We've had five officers killed in recent years for this exact thing.”

On city streets the law requires you to move over to the right of the road when an emergency vehicle is trying to pass but paramedic Greg Bruce says sometimes drivers just panic.

“I've had times when people just stop dead in front of me that's the worst thing people can do. A 65-thousand pound fire truck can't stop on a dime and is much larger and louder than an ambulance.”

But Rick Monkman, Barrie’s deputy fire chief begs to differ with his first responder colleague.

“No it's an ongoing problem. Not everybody gets out of the way.”

Police say mistakes happen when drivers are distracted whether it’s on city streets or highways. Police want drivers to keep their eyes open for emergency responders who are trying to help others.

“This is our workspace, says Sgt. Schmidt. “This is where we work and we don't want to be involved in any incident with people not moving over for us.”