Move Over Law: Drivers Must Provide a Safety Zone for Stopped Law Enforcement Vehicles
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Madison – While working on the side of a highway during a traffic stop or to assist a motorist, State Patrol and other law enforcement officers often confront the deadly danger of being hit by fast-moving vehicles traveling within a few feet-or even inches-of where they’re standing or parked.
To help protect law enforcement officers, emergency responders, road maintenance workers, and others who work on the side of roadways, Wisconsin has a Move Over Law. The law requires drivers to shift lanes or slow down in order to create a safety zone for a squad car, ambulance, fire truck, tow truck or highway maintenance vehicle that is stopped on the side of a road with its warning lights flashing.
Drivers have two options for creating a safety zone. “If the road has more than one directional lane, like the Interstate, and you can switch lanes safely, you must move over to vacate the lane closest to the law enforcement or other emergency vehicle,” says Wisconsin State Patrol Superintendent David Collins. “If the road has a single directional lane or you can’t safely move over, you must reduce your speed.”
Violating the Move Over Law can be expensive as well as dangerous. A citation costs $249 and three demerit points are added to your license.
Signs to remind motorists about the Move Over Law are posted on highways near main entry points to Wisconsin. They read: “STATE LAW. MOVE OVER OR SLOW DOWN FOR STOPPED EMERGENCY VEHICLES.”
“Failure of motorists to move over or slow down is one of the major reasons that motor vehicle crashes kill more law enforcement officers on duty than any other cause,” says Superintendent Collins. “Obeying the Move Over Law will help protect motorists as well as our officers from needless deaths and injuries.”
Posted @ 2:20 p.m.
