This week, Florida law enforcement officers will be stepping up patrols and issuing tickets to motorists that do not obey the “Move Over” law. The law requires passing motorists to give adequate space to law enforcement, emergency medical, roadside assistance personnel, sanitation and utility service vehicles that are stopped on the side of the road.
“This law is in place to protect the ones who protects us,” said Montrae Waiters, spokeswoman, AAA – The Auto Club Group. “If you are caught violating the “Move Over” law, you will have to pay a fine which can cost $120 (depending on the Florida county) as well as 3 points on your driver’s license.”
According to the US Department of Transportation an estimated of 225 responders have been killed after being struck by vehicles along the highway since 2003. In Florida alone from 1996 to 2000, motorists have crashed into law enforcement vehicles that were parked along Florida’s roadways 1,793 times, resulting in five deaths according to Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.
AAA offers theses precautionary tips while driving on Florida’s roadways:
- Use common sense: Watch for situations where emergency vehicles, sanitation and utility service vehicles are pulled off on the side of the road.
- Two-Lane Roadway: When approaching an emergency vehicle with lights flashing parked on the side of a two-lane road, you MUST slow down to 20 mph below the posted speed limit and approach with caution unless otherwise directed by an emergency worker on the scene.
- Multi-Lane Roadway: Slow down when you see the flashing lights of an emergency vehicle on the roadside and – if you can – move over into an adjacent lane if possible. If you can’t switch lanes, please reduce your speed to 20 miles below the posted speed limit.
By following these simple rules we are giving law enforcement officials and other emergency personnel space to do their jobs while saving lives simultaneously.
About The Auto Club Group
The Auto Club Group (ACG) is the second largest AAA club in North America. ACG and its affiliates provide membership, travel, insurance and financial services offerings to approximately 9 million members across eleven states and two U.S. territories including Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Michigan, Nebraska, North Dakota, Tennessee, Wisconsin, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands; most of Illinois and Minnesota; and a portion of Indiana. ACG belongs to the national AAA federation with more than 55 million members in the United States and Canada and whose mission includes protecting and advancing freedom of mobility and improving traffic safety.
