Virginia State Police are out in big numbers this Memorial Day weekend. They're trying to reduce car crashes while keeping themselves and other emergency services personnel safe.

Rockingham County firefighter Bryan Smith only has pictures to show him what happened when he was hit by a car while attending to an accident on Interstate 81 on April 7, 2007.

"My nose was completely crushed. I had some teeth knocked out. Fractured C6 vertebrae in my neck. A fractured left arm. My shattered elbow," says Smith, describing his injuries, though the full list is more extensive.

To keep people like Smith safe, the Virginia State Police are heavily promoting their "Slow Down, Move Over" campaign.

"Because anything can happen," says 1st Sgt. Bryan Hutcheson. "There's folks on the shoulder of that road. Any little thing that goes wrong, you could have a real tragedy."

State police say, in the last four weeks, cars struck and seriously injured two troopers. Meg Sander, president of the Harrisonburg Rescue Squad has worked several accidents on 81.

"On every accident on the interstate, and the roads, but the interstate in particular, it feels like there's a close call," says Sander. "Because traffic is just inches from where we're providing help to the patients."

In Virginia, it's a primary offense if you don't change lanes or slow down when you pass an emergency vehicle that's pulled over.

"So, if we observe it, we can stop that person for that and issue them a summons for it," says Hutcheson.

On this busy weekend, police say it's especially important that drivers are cautious to avoid what happened to Smith.

"I was always convinced that I would go back and stay with it," says Smith. "It's something that I truly enjoy. I enjoy being able to give back to the public."

Smith says he's in the final parts of his recovery. He just has some dental work to wrap up. State police are aiming to have about 75 percent of troopers on the roads through Monday.