Michigan’s “Move Over” Law

Michigan’s “Move Over” law requires drivers to move over one lane, or slow down if they can’t move over, when they see a police car, fire truck or emergency vehicle on the side of the road with its lights flashing. The "Move Over" law, enacted in 2001, requires motorists passing an official roadside emergency to drive in the lane farthest away or to slow down. It's meant to protect emergency workers.

In 2004, the Michigan Legislature and Gov. Jennifer Granholm amended the law to include emergency vehicles like tow trucks, placing them on the same level as police cars and ambulances.

The amended law, which goes into effect in about three months, says that motorists passing tow trucks that are pulled to the side of the road and have their red or amber lights flashing must move over one lane if possible, or slow down just as they must for other emergency vehicles. If you don’t, you could face a $50 fine and 90 days in jail. Anyone injuring a tow-truck driver, or other personnel working on the side of the road, faces up to two years behind bars and a $1,000 fine. That penalty rises to 15 years and a $7,500 fine for killing an emergency worker.

Be careful out there and when it comes to emergency workers and construction workers, 'Give Em A Brake!."