Lawmaker Looks To Add To Move Over Law

If a Memphis lawmaker gets his way, failing to move over for emergency vehicles parked on the shoulder of the road could cost you more out of your wallet. Tennessee passed the “Move Over Law” back in 2006 which requires drivers to move over a lane to give crews working on or alongside the road some room. Violation of that law could result in 30 days in jail and a fine of up to $500. According to State Rep John Gillespie, even with that law on the books, in 2021 there were well over 900 citations given for drivers failing to move over a lane. Gillespie’s law would change the current fine from $500 to $2500. It would also add language to the bill that would extend the law’s protection to those motorists who are on the side of the road with their hazard lights on. This would give those motorists the same protection as emergency vehicles and crews on the shoulder of the road. That bill is just starting to make its way through the legislative process. According to TDOT, 113 TDOT workers have died since record keeping began in the 1940’s because they were hit while working on the side of the road because a motorist did not move over.