What Are the Move Over Laws in Texas?

In all states, Move Over Laws are laws put in place to ensure the safe-keeping of emergency vehicles that are pulled over on the side of the road. Move Over Laws are crucial in decreasing the instance of car accidents that occur when passenger cars neglect to give the emergency vehicle an adequate amount of room.

Texas established its own Move Over Law 15 years ago to address the volume of accidents that occurred involving passenger cars speeding into stalled emergency vehicles. A lot of these collisions, if not physically damaging to the passenger driver, turn into hit and run scenarios. One example of this danger occurred when a passenger car clipped a Texas State Trooper, who was located outside of his vehicle to pull over another driver. The speedy driver did not pull over to check the trooper’s safety – they continued to drive.

In 2013, Texas added to its Move Over Law, stating that drivers must slow down when Texas transportation workers, and their vehicles, are working on the side of the road. This addition requires drivers to treat transportation vehicles as emergency vehicles. It also clearly mentioned that the updated Move Over Law considers transportation workers themselves because they move around their work vehicles, as in the case with the state trooper mentioned above.

Texas’ Move Over Law requires passenger vehicles to move out of the lane that is closest to all emergency and work vehicles that are stalled on the side of the road, with their lights on. Vehicles covered under this law include: police cars, ambulance/emergency response vehicles, fire trucks, tow trucks, and Texas-state transportation vehicles. When approaching these vehicles, drivers must slow down to 20 mph below the speed limit and move into the nearest left-hand lane.

Those who do not obey Texas’ Move Over Law acquire a fine. A $500 fine applies to those who cause property damage while a court can fine up to $2000 in cases of injury.

Despite the fines and updated Move Over Laws, Texas still suffers from dangerous off-road collisions. Texas’ transportation department continually raises awareness about this safety issue, but many violations occur regularly. Since 2018, police have given over 32,000 warnings and citations to Move Over Law violators. Citations, which occur in non-accident situations when a vehicle simply doesn’t slow down or move over, cost the driver $200. Even with this deterrent, violations are a common occurrence.

If you find it necessary to pull over on the side of the road, pull over as close to the right-side shoulder as possible. Remove your vehicle from immediate side-swiping territory and move as far away from the lane as possible. Do not try to exit the vehicle using the driver’s side door. Climb to the passenger’s side door and exit there. Give this instruction to all passengers inside of the vehicle to prevent unnecessary accidents. Once every passenger is safely out of the car, move out of the road, if possible, while waiting for an emergency vehicle. If moving out of the road is not an option, move away from the car and toward the shoulder. Maintain visibility while waiting.

Despite its efforts in preventing off-road collisions, Texas’ Move Over Laws do not guarantee pedestrian safety. Continual violations make it clear that simply updating this law is only one-half of a solution when Texas residents do not abide by it. One way to contribute to Texas’ transportation department’s efforts to raise awareness about these collisions is by adhering to the law yourself.

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