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Do You Know The Virginia “Move Over” Law?

In the last month, Virginia has seen three different car accidents and truck crashes that could have been prevented had the drivers known and followed the "Move Over" Law. The number and frequency of these cases leads Virginia officials and safety advocates to conclude that the law might not be as widely publicized as it could be.

Very simply, the "Move Over" Law requires that vehicles proceed with caution whenever they see emergency vehicles -- such as squad cars, ambulances, or fire trucks - stopped or driving in the breakdown lane or shoulder of a road. Ideally, cars should switch to a left lane, but if that is not possible, drivers should slow down and be aware.

All too often, both emergency vehicles and emergency workers are struck while responding to car accidents and other emergencies on the sides and medians of our highways and interstates.

In Newport News Virginia last week, Lacey Coleman plowed into two state patrol vehicles parked on the shoulder of I-64. He was charged with reckless driving as well as failure to yield to emergency vehicles. The two troopers, who were at the time performing a field sobriety test on another driver, were not injured.

Also in Newport News, a college student late for class caused a Virginia State Trooper on a motorcycle to fly off of her bike in a rear-end collision. The woman was driving in the breakdown late in order to beat traffic. The very next day, another State Trooper was involved in a four-vehicle crash that could have been prevented if citizens had heeded the "Move Over" law.

All in all, the National Safety Commission found that 71 percent of Americans are not aware of the individual move over laws in their state even though violators face a class 1 misdemeanor charge, a $2,500 fine, and up to a year in prison.

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