Florida: January is Move Over Awareness month in Florida

If you see an emergency vehicle stopped on the side of the road, move over! It's the law. Law enforcement says not everyone knows the law, which is why Florida has made January Move Over Awareness month. "Move Over!" That's been the law in Florida for more than 20 years, but law enforcement officers say some people still don't follow it.

"A lot of people just either refuse to move over or don't want to and just refuse and there might be a majority of them that just might not know about it and is just not really educated on it," said Lieutenant Jamey Wright with the Panama City Beach Police Department.

January is Move Over Awareness month in the state of Florida. The law requires passing motorists to move over from the outside lane in a multi-lane highway when law enforcement or emergency vehicles are pulled over on the side of the road.

"The purpose of it is for the safety of our law enforcement and emergency vehicles that's to include wrecker services, sanitation truck and workers, requires those motorists to move over at a safe speed and to approach with caution," said Lieutenant Wright.

According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, between 2012 and 2014, traffic crashes increased by 41 percent. That's because drivers failed to comply with the Move Over Law.

"It can be very dangerous for those guys on the side of the road unfortunately. It's something that really needs to be looked at and addressed and for the public to be educated on."

During that same time period law enforcement wrote 68 percent more tickets to violators of this law. Lieutenant Jamie Wright with the Panama City Beach Police Department says failing to obey this law can result in a $165 fine and add three points on your drivers license.

Wright said, "I mean you might see a car broke down on the side of the road and I think it's just a smart choice and a smart decision to just go ahead and you might need to move over because that person might be trying to change a flat tire."

Wright says if you can't move over because of traffic you should slow down at least 20 miles an hour below the posted speed limit.