Move Over- It's The Law

It’s not just the law – it’s the right thing to do.   

CALL TO ACTION

Let’s Tell All Drivers:  Move Over. It’s the Law.

Help Us Protect Those Who Protect Others

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is calling on you to help put an end to roadside fatalities among law enforcement officers.

Already in 2014, 67 law enforcement officers have been killed in the line of duty—26 of those fatalities being traffic-related. For the second year in a row, traffic-related incidents are the leading cause of death for law enforcement officers. From 2003-2012, there were 672 on-duty law enforcement officers killed in such incidents. Law enforcement officers put their own lives at risk when they step onto the side of the road to conduct traffic stops, help motorists, or investigate crashes.

 To address the heightened danger involved in these roadside stops, every State has enacted “Move Over” laws, requiring motorists to change lanes and/or slow down when approaching stopped emergency vehicles.

 These laws can only save lives if:

•             Motorists are aware of them;

•             Drivers obey them; and

•             Law enforcement officers enforce them.  

 In a recent survey about 7 out of 10 Americans had never heard of “Move Over” laws.    In 2013, 46 law enforcement officers were killed in traffic-related incidents.   We don’t want one more law enforcement officer to be killed in the line of duty by motorists who don’t move over.   We need your help in educating all drivers that moving over to give space to emergency personnel isn’t just a courtesy—It’s the Law.

 In the coming months, you’ll notice NHTSA using high-visibility tactics like billboards and social media to tell motorists to Move Over. It’s the Law. The more people hear the message, the more they’ll understand. Think about the hundreds of law enforcement officers killed on our Nation’s highways over the last decade. Let’s honor their memory and prevent any future, similar tragedies from happening.

For more information on the “Move Over, It’s the Law” initiative, click here.

From the Governor’s Office

Ohio Department of Safety