What is the “Move Over Law”?

The official title is “Duty of Driver in Emergency Response Area”.  An emergency response area is defined as:  “The area in which emergency service responders render emergency assistance to individuals on or near a roadway or a police officer is conducting a traffic stop or systematic check of vehicles or controlling or directing traffic as long as the emergency vehicle is making use of visual signals meeting the requirements of Subchapter D of Chapter 45”.  

When approaching or passing an emergency response area, a person, unless otherwise directed by an emergency service responder, shall:

• Pass in a lane not adjacent to that of the emergency response area, if possible; or
• If passing in a nonadjacent lane is impossible, illegal or unsafe, pass the emergency response area at a careful and prudent reduced speed reasonable for safely passing the emergency response area.
• Penalty:  Any person violating subsection (a) commits a summary offense and shall, upon conviction, pay a fine of not more than $250.