“Move Over” Law Protects Troopers, EMT’s, and Firefighters in Emergencies

Trooper P.C. Gardner is the fourth Virginia trooper to be struck by a passing vehicle in only six weeks. Virginia’s General Assembly, recognizing the dire need to protect troopers from the danger of inattentive drivers, has passed an amended version of Virginia’s “move-over” law. The law requires that motorists who are able to move into an adjacent lane away from the emergency vehicle that is on the side of the road must do so or face criminal penalties, including up to one year in jail and/or a $2,500 fine, and license suspension. The bill as revised and passed by the General Assembly takes out language that was previously used to differentiate between whether the emergency vehicle was actually in a lane of traffic or was instead on the shoulder of the road. As now written, all drivers must move over, if able, regardless of whether the emergency vehicle is in an actual lane of traffic or completely over on the shoulder of the road. A full text copy of the new law and its revision can be found here:

http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?081+ful+CHAP0818

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