The Minnesota State Patrol on Thursday announced that since Jan. 21, six troopers have been struck by vehicles while performing emergency and enforcement duties on state roadways &8212; including one in Freeborn County.

Minnesota&8217;s Move Over law requires motorists to move at least one lane away from emergency vehicles with emergency lights activated. Motorists who cannot safely move over must reduce their speed. Failure to take these actions can result in a petty misdemeanor.

The Move Over law was named for Cpl. Ted Foss of the State Patrol, who was struck and killed while making a traffic stop along Interstate 90 in August 2000.

Last year, troopers issued 407 citations and 1,371 warnings for Move Over violations.

From 2001 to 2005, 126 troopers were in roadside-injury crashes. Approximately $1 million a year is spent by the Department of Public Safety on worker&8217;s compensation claims due to troopers injured in traffic crashes.

Crash summaries:

– On Feb. 12, a trooper was struck and injured while parked on the shoulder of Interstate 35 in Freeborn County. The trooper was assisting with the tow of a vehicle when a driver lost control and rear-ended the squad car.

– On Feb. 8, a trooper was struck while seated in his parked squad with emergency lights activated attending to the scene of a crash on Highway 169 in Mankato. A driver lost control of her car and rear ended the squad car. Both driver and trooper were unharmed.

– On Feb. 6, a snowstorm led to numerous traffic crashes and other incidents in the metro area. Vehicles struck three separate troopers on I-35W in Minneapolis, Highway 169 in Plymouth and Highway 610 in Brooklyn Park.

– On Jan. 21, a trooper was at the scene of a two-vehicle crash on Interstate 35 in Scott County. The drivers of the two vehicles and the trooper were outside of their vehicles when a driver lost control of her car and struck all three of them.