There is a trend in a variety of states across the U.S. to crack down on those motorists who do not observe “Slow Down, Move Over” laws that require drivers to reduce their speed and clear the lane next to emergency responders and motorists who are parked on the shoulders of highways. (In fact, the dangers involved in emergency situations mean some first responders now have robots to assist them.) As of 2012, every state in the union had one of these laws, but they provided protection only to fire, police, and ambulance personnel. As time went on, a number of states expanded these laws to cover road crews, utility vehicles, and tow trucks. The latest development involves expanding these laws to cover anyone who finds themselves stuck by the side of the road.
According to the Emergency Responder Safety Institute, a total of 46 persons responding to a roadside emergency lost their lives while helping people by the roadside during 2024. This was in spite of the presence of Slow Down, Move Over laws being in effect in every single state.
A recent study put out by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety has revealed that, because of both drivers’ lack of compliance and poor understanding about these laws, more than one-third of all drivers do not slow down or move over when workers are present on the roadside. The other two-thirds either changed lanes or reduced their speed but did not do both. The study found that fewer motorists slowed down or moved over for tow trucks, while a higher percentage conformed with this behavior for police vehicles.
What else should you know about Slow Down, Move Over laws?
AAA, which offers many services you might have not known about, provided several recommendations for improving the public’s awareness of and compliance with these Slow Down, Move Over laws that already exist in every state. It recommends that all 50 states’ laws be standardized to give protection to all types of vehicles on the roadside and to any person who happens to end up there. It also suggests a public education campaign that starts with driver’s ed. classes and reaches older drivers through public service announcements, navigation apps, and roadway signs.
Finally, AAA acknowledged that more emphasis needs to be put on enforcement of these Slow Down, Move Over laws, with an initial emphasis on making the driving public more aware of these laws. This should then provide the desired result of having more drivers observe them by slowing down and moving over, which will save many more lives of first responders, roadside workers, and anyone else who finds themselves stuck on the side of the road. (Just in case that person is you, you may want to check out these Milwaukee apparel items to keep safe.) And that’s a good thing.
Slow Down, Move Over laws already exist in every U.S. state that you will ever drive through. So it only makes sense to be alert for any vehicles stopped by the roadside, slow down if you see any, and move over whenever possible to give them some space to do what they need to do and get home safely.
