As the new year unfolds, new laws are set to take effect, and among them is a crucial one that officials are optimistic will enhance safety on our roadways.
It can be dangerous when your car breaks down on the side of the road or when you're pulled over.
"Unfortunately, hundreds of people are killed on the roadside, and these are deaths that could be prevented if you just move over," according to Mark Jenkins, a spokesperson for AAA.
Governor DeSantis signed HB425, which strengthens the state’s existing Move Over Law to include moving over for all disabled vehicles that are stopped with their hazard lights on or with emergency flares or signage.
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"The current law requires you to slow down and move over for tow truck drivers and first responders, but right now, there was no additional protection for everyday drivers like people who get a flat tire or dead battery on the roadside," Jenkins said. "The law does not require you to move over for those people, so with this expanded law, this will help enhance the protections, extending them to everyday drivers as well.”
Florida Highway Patrol Trooper Joe Sanchez spoke to NBC6 to further explain the law's expansion.
"Once you have your hazards on and you're disabled, vehicles must move over a lane. And if they can't move over, then they have to reduce their speed by 20 miles an hour," Sanchez explained. "Definitely, this law is going to save lives."
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Florida now becomes the 17th state to require drivers to move over not only for emergency vehicles, but also for broken-down cars on the side of the road.
Violators of the Move Over Law could face fines ranging from $60 to $158. The hope is that this stricter enforcement will encourage compliance and ultimately reduce the alarming statistics.
The revamped law goes into effect on January 1, 2024.
