With increased traffic on the road this summer, drivers are more likely to see vehicles on the side of the road that have overheated, blown a tire, been involved in a fender-bender or just given out. Often, drivers and passengers can be seen outside of them as they assess the problem or wait for a tow truck or other first responders.
This can be extremely dangerous for those drivers and passengers. Every year, people are injured and killed by motorists who don’t see them until it’s too late – or don’t see them at all. That’s why New Jersey’s “Move Over” law was amended last year to include these scenarios. Specifically, the law applies to vehicles with hazard lights on or road flares. Drivers who violate the law can be fined up to $500. The law already required vehicles to move over a lane when they see an ambulance, police car, fire truck or tow truck.
Thousands are killed every year while standing outside their disabled vehicles
Certainly, drivers should try to move over or at least slow down whenever they see any vehicle on the shoulder or on the road itself, even if there aren’t hazard lights on or road flares set out. According to AAA, between 2017 and 2021, nearly 2,000 people throughout the country were killed by other motorists while they were standing outside their disabled vehicles. One AAA official called New Jersey’s recent change a “life-saving measure.”
Law enforcement agencies take this law seriously because not abiding by it can result in needless tragedy. Often, a minor collision or car problem can end up resulting in catastrophic injuries or fatalities.
Of course, it may not always be possible to safely move over a lane when they spot a disabled vehicle. If a driver believes they’ve been wrongly cited for not complying with this law, getting legal guidance can help them make their case and potentially avoid a hefty fine and other consequences.