Cecily Zamora
The 'move over' law requires motorists to change lanes and give clearance to emergency vehicles, including police cars, ambulances, and fire trucks, as well as utility workers and tow trucks. This law was created to protect emergency workers and improve safety at emergency scenes. The law came into being after James D. Garcia, a paramedic from Lexington, South Carolina, was struck and injured while assisting a driver who had slid off the road. The South Carolina General Assembly passed the move over law (SC 56-5-1538) in 1996, and it has since been adopted and adapted by various states and provinces across the US and Canada.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Origin | Lexington, South Carolina |
| Reason | James D. Garcia, a paramedic, was struck and injured at an accident scene on 28 January 1994, when attempting to assist a driver |
| First state to enact the law | Kansas in 2000 |
| Most recent state to pass the law | Hawaii in 2012 |
| Place without a move over law | Washington, D.C. |
| Implementation date in New York | 1 January 2011 |
| Implementation date in Connecticut | 1 October 2009 |
| Implementation date in Maryland | 1 October 2010 |
| Implementation date in North Carolina | 1 October 2012 |
| Implementation date in Quebec | 5 August 2012 |
| Maximum speed for passing stationary emergency vehicles or tow trucks in Alberta | 60 km/h |
| Speed reduction on a two-lane road in Florida | 20 mph less than the posted speed limit |
| Speed limit in Florida when the posted speed limit is 20 mph or less | 5 mph |
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What You'll Learn
- The law was created after a paramedic was struck and injured at an accident scene
- The South Carolina Highway Patrol initially listed the paramedic at fault
- The US Department of Transportation and Federal Highway Administration addressed Emergency Scene Safety
- The law became standard across the US with the help of public interest groups
- The law has been expanded to cover all vehicles stopped on the roadway
The law was created after a paramedic was struck and injured at an accident scene
Move over laws require motorists to change lanes to give safe clearance to emergency vehicles, including police cars, fire trucks, ambulances, and in some cases, tow trucks and disabled vehicles. The purpose of these laws is to give emergency vehicles a clear roadway to respond to emergencies quickly.
The move over law was created following an incident in Lexington, South Carolina, on January 28, 1994, in which James D. Garcia, a paramedic, was struck and injured at an accident scene. Garcia was attempting to assist a driver who had slid off the road. Despite being the victim in the situation, the South Carolina Highway Patrol listed Garcia at fault. This incident led to his work in creating the move over law to protect other emergency responders.
The South Carolina General Assembly passed the "move over law" (SC 56-5-1538) in 1996, and it was revised in 2002 to increase the ease of enforcement and fines. After a series of similar incidents across the US in 2000, the US Department of Transportation and Federal Highway Administration addressed the issue of Emergency Scene Safety and issued recommended changes to improve the safety of emergency workers.
With the support of public interest groups such as the Emergency Responder Safety Institute, move over laws became standard across the US and Canada. In the US, all fifty states have passed move over laws to protect emergency responders working along the roadside. Similar laws have also been implemented in Canadian provinces, with Quebec being the last province to adopt such a law in 2012.
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The South Carolina Highway Patrol initially listed the paramedic at fault
The Move Over Law was created to protect emergency workers at the scene of an accident. The law originated in Lexington, South Carolina, after a paramedic, James D. Garcia, was struck and injured while attempting to assist a driver who had slid off the road. Initially, the South Carolina Highway Patrol listed Garcia at fault. However, this incident, along with a series of similar events across the US in 2000, brought attention to the issue of Emergency Scene Safety. As a result, the US Department of Transportation and Federal Highway Administration began addressing the need for improved standards and protection for emergency workers.
The South Carolina Highway Patrol's initial response to the incident is noteworthy. Despite listing Garcia at fault, the impact of this incident extended beyond the state. The US Department of Transportation and Federal Highway Administration's involvement led to recommended changes in the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), which finally addressed the need for improved safety standards for emergency workers across the nation.
The Move Over Law requires motorists to change lanes and give safe clearance to emergency vehicles, including law enforcement officers, firefighters, ambulances, utility workers, and in some cases, tow-truck drivers and disabled vehicles. This ensures that emergency vehicles have a clear roadway to respond to emergencies promptly. The law was first enacted in Kansas in 2000, and as of 2012, all states except Washington, D.C., have implemented it.
The South Carolina General Assembly passed the "Move Over Law" (SC 56-5-1538) in 1996, which was later revised in 2002 to increase enforceability and fines. This law was personal to Garcia, who was initially blamed for the accident that inspired it. The law's creation and revision demonstrate the state's commitment to protecting emergency workers and promoting a safe environment for its citizens.
The South Carolina Highway Patrol's mission is to provide equitable service and protection while upholding the laws of the United States and South Carolina. Their role in enforcing the Move Over Law is crucial to achieving their mission and ensuring the safety of emergency workers and the public. While they initially placed blame on Garcia, the creation of the Move Over Law demonstrates their commitment to adapting and improving traffic safety measures.
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The US Department of Transportation and Federal Highway Administration addressed Emergency Scene Safety
The US Department of Transportation's Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has been working to improve safety for emergency responders on the roads. This initiative is part of the Crash Responder Safety Week (CRSW), which aims to protect responders at the scene of highway crashes and remind the public to exercise caution when driving near incidents involving emergency services. The FHWA has also launched Traffic Incident Management (TIM) training to help teams of first responders, including police, firefighters, highway workers, and emergency medical services, coordinate effectively and safely at crash scenes.
The US Department of Transportation and Federal Highway Administration issued recommended changes to the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) to improve standards and protection for emergency workers. With the support of public interest groups like the Emergency Responder Safety Institute, Move Over Laws were standardised across the US. These laws require motorists to change lanes and give safe clearance to emergency vehicles, including law enforcement, fire trucks, ambulances, and utility workers. In some cases, they also apply to tow-truck drivers and disabled vehicles.
The Department of Transportation's comprehensive approach to reducing serious injuries and fatalities on US roads involves collaboration between the FHWA, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). Together, they work with emergency responders to improve safety for all road users, including first responders. The National Roadway Safety Strategy (NRSS) and Safe System Approach are key components of this strategy, aiming for zero roadway fatalities.
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The law became standard across the US with the help of public interest groups
The move over law was first enacted in the US in 1996 in South Carolina, following an incident in 1994 where a paramedic was struck and injured at an accident scene. The law requires motorists to change lanes to give safe clearance to emergency vehicles, including law enforcement officers, firefighters, ambulances, utility workers, and in some cases, tow-truck drivers and disabled vehicles.
Kansas was the first state to enact the law in 2000, and since then, almost all states have followed suit. Hawaii was the most recent state to pass the law in 2012, leaving only Washington, D.C., without a move over law. The spread of the law across the US can be attributed in part to the efforts of public interest groups, such as the Emergency Responder Safety Institute, who advocate for improved standards and protection for emergency workers.
The US Department of Transportation and Federal Highway Administration also played a key role in addressing the issue of Emergency Scene Safety and recommended changes to the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) to include improved standards and protection for emergency workers. This likely contributed to the widespread adoption of the move over law across the US.
In Canada, the move over law has also been implemented in various provinces, with the Province of Ontario's Ministry of Transportation and the Province of Saskatchewan's Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure being the first to do so. Quebec was the last province to implement the law in 2012, with a broader application that included slowed speeds and a buffer lane for stopped service vehicles with active strobing/rotating lights.
The move over law has been enacted to prevent collisions with emergency and disabled vehicles and to improve the safety of emergency workers, law enforcement, and motorists. Violating the law can result in fines, fees, and points on a driving record.
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The law has been expanded to cover all vehicles stopped on the roadway
The move over law was enacted in response to increasing roadside fatalities in the line of duty. It requires motorists to give safe clearance to emergency vehicles, law enforcement officers, firefighters, ambulances, utility workers, and in some cases, tow-truck drivers and disabled vehicles. The law originated in Lexington, South Carolina, after a paramedic, James D. Garcia, was struck and injured at an accident scene in 1994. The South Carolina Highway Patrol listed Garcia at fault, which led to his work in creating this law.
The law was first passed in South Carolina in 1996 and has since been adopted by all fifty states in the US, with the exception of Washington, D.C. Over time, the law has been expanded in several states to include not only emergency vehicles but also hazard vehicles, highway worker vehicles, and tow trucks.
In 2023, New York expanded the Move Over Law to cover all vehicles stopped on the roadway. This means that when a driver is approaching a vehicle stopped along either shoulder of the road, they must change into a lane that is not immediately adjacent to the vehicle or slow down to a reasonable speed if they are unable to safely make a lane change. This expansion is aimed at improving highway safety for all motorists and preventing tragedies on New York's roadways. From 2016 to 2020, 37 individuals were killed outside disabled vehicles in the state.
Other states have also expanded the Move Over Law to include a broader range of vehicles. For example, in 2012, Quebec established a Move Over Law that requires drivers to slow down and provide a buffer lane to a stopped service vehicle with active strobing/rotating lights or an active traffic arrow. This could include tow trucks, emergency vehicles, police cars, fire trucks, or highway department patrol vehicles. Similarly, in 2005, Alberta expanded its Move Over Law to require drivers to slow down or move over when passing emergency vehicles or tow trucks stopped on the side of a highway with their flashing lamps operating.
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Frequently asked questions
The Move Over Law is a law that requires motorists to change lanes and give a safe amount of space to law enforcement officers, emergency vehicles, ambulances, utility workers, and in some cases, tow-truck drivers and disabled vehicles.
The Move Over Law was created in Lexington, South Carolina, after paramedic James D. Garcia was struck and injured at an accident scene in 1994. The South Carolina General Assembly passed the law in 1996.
The purpose of the Move Over Law is to increase the safety of emergency workers and protect them from being struck by passing vehicles.
The Move Over Law is enforced across the US, with the exception of Washington, D.C. Canadian provinces have also begun to implement similar laws, with Quebec being the last province to do so in 2012.
