The Move Over/Slow Down law, originally implemented in 2003, requires drivers nearing stopped emergency vehicles with lights activated to either slow down or change lanes. The law states a driver must either vacate the lane closest to the stopped emergency vehicle if the road has multiple lanes traveling in the same direction or slow down 20 miles per hour below the speed limit. The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) will now place special enforcement emphasis on the addition of tow trucks and TxDot vehicles to the Move Over/Slow Down law. A violation is punishable by a maximum fine of $200. If the violation results in property damage, the maximum fine increases to $500. If the violation results in bodily injury, the offense is enhanced to a Class B misdemeanor.
While radio announcements and statewide billboards have helped raise awareness of the new Move Over/Slow Down law, drivers are still not observing the law. After several accidents and the tragic death of Trooper Thomas Nipper on November 4th, 2017 in Temple, TX when a driver in a pick-up truck slammed into the back of his patrol car, Pct. 2 decided to front the initiative to educate the public and ticket drivers who violate the law.