JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Truck drivers across the region hit the roads on Sunday to honor a fellow driver and bring attention to an important state law.
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The “Move Over” law, revised in 2024, mandates that drivers slow down and move over when approaching emergency, construction, or any disabled vehicles on the side of the road.
The law requires drivers to shift one lane away from vehicles with hazard lights on. If moving over isn’t feasible, drivers must reduce their speed to 20 mph below the posted limit.
In Orlando, Jacksonville, and Canton, North Carolina, tow truck drivers took to the streets to remind the public of the rule, highlighting the dangers they face when the law is ignored.
“Cars are whizzing past their head,” Hallie Bracewell said.
Hallie is a truck dispatcher in Northeast Florida.
“They’re right on the white line. Nobody will slow down. I’ve also had a lot of tow truck drivers that I do know that have been injured or killed on the side of the road.”
The caravan was organized in memory of Austin Gayne, a 24-year-old who was tragically killed four years ago when he and a mechanic were towing a dump truck in Orlando when a car crashed into them.
For the past three years, truck drivers have united to raise awareness about a law they believe can prevent tragedies like this from repeating.
“If you see even a disabled car, just move over,” Bracewell said. “It doesn’t take long. It doesn’t take long to save somebody’s life.”
In January alone, over 1,500 citations were issued in Florida for violating the “Move Over” law. Last year, the total number of citations reached approximately 17,000.