![]() Vermont (SB 339) amended its law in 2020 by stating that drivers approaching emergency, towing or repair vehicles on multi-lane highways must change lanes or slow down to a safe speed. Massachusetts introduced a bill (SB 2296-failed) in 2021 which would have included utility vehicles in the state’s move over statute. Mostly notably, Maryland enacted a bill (SB 147) in 2022 which included any disabled vehicle displaying warning lights in the state’s move over statute. Vehicle Classification and Technical ChangesĪt least seven states-Colorado, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Vermont and Virginia-introduced bills related to vehicle classification or other technical changes to their move over statutes in recent years. The bill would also set the penalty at $100 for a first offense and $500 for each subsequent offense. New York introduced a bill in 2021 (AB 1417-pending) which would require a driver approaching stationary emergency vehicles, tow or recovery trucks and highway maintenance vehicles to switch lanes or reduce their speed. Kansas introduced a bill (HB 2164-failed) in 2021 that would have established a fine of $45 for unlawfully passing a stationary vehicle, defined as when a driver fails to move over on a two lane highway or fails to slow down and proceed with caution when moving over is not possible. Previously, the offense was subject to a general penalty provision of no less than $25 and not more than $75 for a first offense and no less than $57.50 and not more than $95 for subsequent offenses. Delaware enacted a bill in 2021 (SB 126) which prescribed a fine of $150 for a first offense and a $300 fine for a subsequent offense for violating the state’s move over statute. Three states-Delaware, Kansas and New York-recently introduced bills adjusting the penalties for violating move over statutes. Recent state move over actions have primarily focused on adjusting penalties for violating the statute, adding vehicles that motorists must move over for, public awareness efforts and other miscellaneous provisions. Read MoreĪt least 12 states have introduced move over related legislation in recent years. All states include fines ranging from $30 to $2,500 for violating move over laws. Some states include municipal vehicles, utility vehicles, road maintenance vehicles and disabled vehicles in their statutes. Every state, but not D.C., includes tow trucks in their move over statutes. include first responders in their laws, according to AAA internal research. The vehicles included under such statutes vary by state, but all 50 states and D.C. Move over laws, which vary state to state, typically require a driver to slow down and/or change lanes when approaching an authorized emergency vehicle, or other prescribed vehicles, that are stopped on the roadway.Īccording to a 2020 report by the Government Accountability Office, all 50 states and Washington, D.C., have enacted move over laws. Data from Ohio showed 780 move over violations in the state in 2020, and 6,108 move over violations from January 2015 to September 2021. In Illinois, move over violations were associated with 148 crashes from 2013-2019, 56 of which had an accompanying DUI charge, according to Illinois’ Move Over Task Force final report. Florida’s Move Over Crash and Citation dashboard tallied 1,505 crashes, seven fatalities and 117 serious injuries statewide since 2015 as of December 2022 due to failure to move over. ![]() The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reports that 300 people annually die in crashes where a pedestrian is leaving, working on or returning to a stopped vehicle, a more than 25% increase since 2014.Ī few states do track and report move over related crashes. An average of 24 emergency responders-including tow truck operators-are killed each year while working roadside, according to AAA. ![]() Vehicles failing to slow down or move over for stopped or disabled vehicles on the roadside pose significant risk to all road users, especially police, fire, medical, towing and other responders.
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