Florida Kicks Off Move-Over Law Campaign

Florida has launched a new campaign to educate the public about move-over laws and to protect tow truck operators who assist motorists, reports News4Jax.

The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) and the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) are partnering with the Florida Department of Transportation, Florida Police Chiefs Association, Florida Sheriffs Association, and AAA-The Auto Club Group to ensure all law enforcement, first responders, service and utility workers and Road Rangers Arrive Alive in 2020.

The towing industry is particularly deadly. In fact, a tow truck operator is killed in the line of duty every other week in the U.S.,  according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

While move over laws are in effect across the country, some experts say less than 30% of drivers know about them, notes the News4Jax report.

In Florida, the stats speak volumes. In 2019, there were 182 collisions and over 20,000 citations issued for motorists who failed to move over, according to preliminary data from the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.

The Sunshine State’s new campaign was designed to educate drivers and get them to move over not just for law enforcement, but also for tow operators.

In addition to radio, print, and social media, the new campaign includes a video showing the names of tow truck drivers killed in the line of duty in the state of Florida.