Austin Police Watch For 'Move Over' Law Compliance

AUSTIN, TX — Austin officials on Monday launched a traffic initiative focused on enforcing the "Move Over" law dictating that vehicles must either move over a lane or slow down to 20 miles per hour below the posted speed limit when passing emergency vehicles with lights activated.

The operation will focus on vehicles not moving over for tow trucks which are classified as emergency vehicles. Research from AAA shows that a tow truck operator is killed once every six days, making it an extremely dangerous job. Recently, a tow truck driver in Kyle, Texas, died after being struck.

The operation will run from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Ben White Blvd. and will utilize a highway enforcement detective along with officers working overtime. APD has partnered with A & A Wrecker and Recovery, who donated a tow truck and an out-of-service vehicle for the operation. The goal of the operation is to bring awareness to the law and encourage compliance in the future.