By Russ and Tiña De Maris
When a couple in a Jeep rolled down their window and started yelling at us, we took notice. We were rolling down Oregon’s I-84, and their message wasn’t misunderstood: “Your tire is completely gone!” We moved onto the right shoulder “breakdown” lane to eyeball the situation. Despite our hazard lights flashing, and our rather large travel trailer posterior hanging out there “In front of God and everybody,” traffic paid little attention. Doesn’t anybody know about “move over or slow down”?
Rocking and rolling
What little remained of the passenger side rear trailer tire may well have constituted “completely gone.” I could hear a voice in my head. It was RVtravel.com’s Tire Guy, Roger Marble, lecturing about the importance of having a tire pressure monitoring system. But with 10 tires to monitor, it seemed like a pretty spendy purchase. But now, blown tire, possibly damaged aluminum rim, and “gone” wheel-well skirt, perhaps I’d need to reconsider. Any rate, we had bigger problems. Traffic was blasting by at a furious rate, rocking the rig, and seriously threatening our trailer towing mirrors.
Move over or slow down directives are more than a suggestion. In all 50 states, the law requires drivers to move over or slow down when they come upon a stopped vehicle. The reasoning is clear: For us, we wondered if we should bail out and get as far away from the rig as we could. For first responders and tow truck operators, it’s a “Will I get to come home from work tonight” question. Between 2011 and 2016, 191 tow company workers were killed on the job. Breaking it down, that meant every year, nearly 43 of these folks were killed per 100,000 full-time workers. Work in any other industry, the average death rate is a minuscule 2.9 per 100,000 workers.
What the laws boil down to
With these kinds of statistics, it’s no wonder all the states have made the move over or slow down laws. While space doesn’t allow us to quote the laws for each state, it boils down to this. When approaching a scene where tow operators, police, firefighters, or emergency medical crews are working at the roadside, move over or slow down. Slow down how much? Some states recommend 10 to 20 miles per hour below the posted speed limit. Other states include utility workers, service crews, or any-old vehicle with hazard lights flashing to their list of move overs.
So what’s to do when you can’t move over a lane? Say traffic is too heavy, or you’re on a single-lane-per-direction roadway? Slow it down! It doesn’t require much effort, but it can save lives.
Didn’t know? Don’t feel alone
If you’re never heard of the law, don’t feel alone. While all 50 states have Move Over laws, less than 30 percent of Americans know about these laws. That’s a gem from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Also, a recent Auto Club survey of drivers showed that many confuse this law with others that require drivers to move to the right for emergency vehicles using flashing lights on route to an emergency.
How about you? Have you ever been in a breakdown situation and felt your rig or your life was threatened by traffic? Let us know!
Related
RVer Safety: Mountains, flat tires and rest stops
##RVT1013
I do move over, but there is a problem I keep seeing. If there is a shoulder, it isn’t wide enough or there is a concrete barrier there to protect the guys in the construction area. We cannot move over, you have to limp to an exit, if one can be found.
We had a blowout on I-15 near Fort Hall, Idaho. Pulled onto the shoulder where large class A barely fit between the guardrail and the lanes. Cars continued to whiz right by the rig while a tech changed our tire. His backside was out into the lane while he worked. That tech was one of the bravest guys I’ve met. Crazy that drivers wouldn’t slow down or move over despite our flares and reflectors giving them plenty of warning.
Been there done that. Lucky the toad blew the right rear tire so I was not standing in the I-81 traffic lane while changing to my spare. Scary job when cars and semi truck fly past two feet from our motorhome. If it been the left tire on the traffic side, I would have called for police assistance.
Read the sign it is not a law to mover or slow down for everyone. Just emergency or maintenance vehicles not for just anyone having a emergency. Nothing in the law says you have to slow down for everyone who illegally stops no matter why they stop. Just my opinion. Just my opinion I am not a lawyer.
I believe your understanding of “stopped emergency vehicle” is rather narrow. The law is interpreted as any vehicle stopped on the side of the road is an emergency at least by the Florida Highway Patrol. What is this “illegally stops” caveat?
Terry is correct. Read the sign….”stopped emergency & maintenance vehicles”. Your RV is not an emergency vehicle, the law is to provide legal protection to government workers.
It’s the law in several states to move over or slow down for any vehicle in the “breakdown lane.” Other states have different views.
Since retiring 8 years ago my wife & I have crisscrossed the U.S.A. multiple times. We have only had 3-4 occasions where we had to pull off the driving lanes on the Interstate. Once was enough! Semi’s and all other traffic flying past us at 75 MPH was absolutely terrifying. In the past several years we have experienced 2 tire blowouts on our trailer. Rather than just pull off, we put on our flashers and moved to the pull off lane and continued to drive around 25 MPH until we were able to reach either an exit lane or somewhere that had a hard shoulder so we could get at least 15-20 feet away from speeding traffic. On one of those occasions we had to drive at a crawl for 5 miles. Replacing a chrome rim is cheaper than a life lost or serious injury caused by some careless driver. Always, when I see a vehicle ahead who is off the road, I immediately click on my left signal and attempt to move over. When we do, some idiot zooms around my right side and flies past the disabled vehicle.
Pennsylvania just recently passed this LAW. The steer clear law states:
“The ‘Steer Clear’ law requires drivers to move over or slow down when they encounter an emergency scene, traffic stop or disabled vehicle. This law will help prevent injuries and save lives, but only if drivers follow the law and use common sense. Pennsylvania Vehicle Code Law: 3327”.
Very few people follow this law. I have actually seen drivers speed up to get around a disabled vehicle. Of course, a lot of them are in a big hurry or think their phone call or text message is more important than the safety of others.
I, for one, have always tried to move over or slow down.
Last year on I-40 in Eastern Arkansas we suffered a catastrophic wheel bearing failure on our 5th wheel. Fortunately, a trucker got our attention before the wheel completely fell off. Unfortunately, the shoulder where we had to pull over was just the width of our RV between the steel barrier and the interstate. I called our roadside assistance and the first thing out oh the advisors mouth was, “Are you safe and OK? I can hear big trucks going right by you”. And indeed they were. Very heavy traffic in both lanes, going around 70-75 MPH. Roadside assistance called the State Police first, before beginning the search for a repair service. A trooper arrived within minutes, assessed the situation, and advised that we needed to get off the shoulder area as soon as possible. With his escort, we were able to limp VERY SLOWLY to an exit a mile and a half ahead. Frightening experience to say the least.
Yes we know about the law, however……
In the above photo you show a man with his “toes on the line”. We recently attended a rally where a Ohio State Trooper stated DO NOT DO THIS!! Even at the risk of loosing a rim, you should drive slow to the next exit. A rim can be replaced!
The last time I had to stop on the shoulder to fix a wheel bearing on my car dolly, the next exit was in 30 miles. Am I going to keep going with a disintegrating wheel bearing? Not a chance!
That’s your choice of course. Loose a wheel bearing, a leg, or if you’re really unlucky, your life.
Several times I’ve been in that situation. The worst problem is when I’m trying to move over with my rig and the idiots in the next lane trap me so I can’t.
Been there too! We were headed West on I-40 in OK, running at 65 into a 40+ mph headwind pulling our 36′ 5’er, when I noticed that the corrugated plastic basement covering under the rig was peeling off and flapping in the wind on the driver’s side. There were 2 lanes and one narrow breakdown lane, no shoulder, and 75 mph speed limit. And the truckers were all in a hurry that day! I had to crawl under the trailer on the driver’s side to cut loose the plastic, which I threw into the rig for disposal at the next dumpster. It was a VERY hard way to discover that these things are NOT designed to withstand 100+ mph wind.
Transmission in truck froze up going down mountain into Pendleton OR. Two lanes but left one blocked off for road maintenance. We were just off the road. Semi’s, some slowed and some didn’t. Worker moved cones closer to us, narrowing right lane and I moved them back. State police came by and road supervisor stayed with us until tow truck came for the 5th wheel and flatbed for the truck. We had Good Sam Roadside and they paid for everything. It took 3 hours to get them there but they did come. We were in Pendleton for 3 weeks but the campground at the casino was very nice.
I’ve moved over for stopped emergency vehicles only to have someone pass me on the right!
Use both lanes, 50/50. No one can pass. So what, only talking a few seconds.
My thought as well but some idiot will probably still try and shoot the gap further endangering the broken down vehicle.
Yes we had a tire blow on I-5 in Oregon on our travel trailer and we pulled over onto the shoulder. We called Good Sam and they asked if we were in a safe place and we said not really for changing the tire. They told us to call 911 , which we did and an Oregon State Trooper showed up and said he would follow us to the next off ramp and to keep on the shoulder and drive as slow as possible like 10 mph or less. He followed with lights flashing and he was half on the shoulder and in the right lane and got us safely off the freeway to a pullout where Good Sam could come and change the tire for us. Oregon State Troopers are the best in my opinion.
As was written, I was a tow truck operator for several years and experienced the wrath of stupidity by people whom had gotten a operators licence and I don’t think can read road signs which in the past 10 years have been installed explaining the written law. We have travelled across both the USA & Canada and have seen “ few” people slow down or even change lanes to avoid a stopped vehicle. These people need to stop on the side of a highway and get out and feel the turbulence created from a vehicle passing at only 50 miles per hour maybe then they would consider giving some space to stopped vehicles
No surprise. Had two flats in the last couple years. Very few pull over. Call that road service agency. They said they would call the state police. They never showed. The service didn’t show for the last flat. We also put out additional emergency lights and the traffic could see us from a mile to a mile and a half away.
Several years ago, when we had a blow-out on the freeway, we called our AAA Road Service. They told us that because we were on the freeway, they HAD to have a tow truck to us in 30 min. or less because of the danger. (they did). I don’t know if that was their rule, or the CA State law, but I thought it was interesting (and prudent).
We always try to move over when we see a vehicle on the side of the highway unless it is obvious that no people are present. Sometimes we are unable to move over and then we dramatically reduce our speed. We were reminded of this necessity recently. A highway patrolman was parked on the side of the interstate while a tow truck driver recovered a broken-down car. One car in the string of passing traffic failed to slow or move over. The patrolman quickly caught and stopped that car and issued a ticket or possibly more.. Thankfully we have only broken down twice. The first time we were on a freeway on-ramp and pulled to the shoulder. The other time we were able to get off the road and park in a safe area of a large gas station.
The problem is the signs say “emergency or maintenance vehicles”. How do I put this kindly? Oh well. Some folks are just stupid AND stubborn. It does not say regular vehicles, so full speed ahead! Same problem here in California with passing slow vehicles. The code book says when 5 cars are behind you, you must pull over and let them by. I’ve followed motorhomes for twenty miles with two or three hapless drivers because it was not to the required number of cars. “I don’t have to pull over yet!”. Some drivers never get it.
The basic TST tire pressure and temperature monitor handles 10 tires.
It may handle and monitor 10 tires, but basic systems don’t come with that many tire monitors. Seems most that I looked at did not! So, they offered the option of purchasing extra monitors (they’re kinda pricey).
I guess I am lucky to say, I have never broken down while traveling. I always slow down or move left when encountering a breakdown or emergency vehicles stopped on the side of the road. I always move to the right when I see emergency vehicles moving, no matter the direction they are traveling. In either case, it is always those people in a big hurry that honk or pass when I move over or stop. Why can’t people obey laws or respect others safety?
I was on I-84 yesterday and had to pull over as well. I was appalled at the speed of trucks and vehicles whizzing by, so much so that my 19’ airstream shook with every passing vehicle, and trucks were worse! Pulling back into traffic was treacherous.
In my working years I regularly drove stretch of road where the State Police were known to stop speeders. They also positioned a few cars down the road to stop the drivers that did not move to the left lane or slow down. I was always amused to see these people pulled over when the went speeding around me on the right side!
I don’t think it is that people do not know the law, it is more they don’t care. Many are so distracted talking to another person, on the phone, listening to music or just in a ‘travel trance’ they don’t think about it.
Beware the fine print! “Move over or slow down” is a deceptive campaign slogan. We’ve seen the signs in Washington state regarding emergency vehicles. But the law really states that if it is clear to do so you must move over … if you cannot move over then you must slow down by at least 10mph.
I thought in Oregon and Washington we were supposed to move over if there is a vehicle with flashing lights on. My brothers were truck drivers and taught me this 60 years ago, nothing new to me, for any vehicle on side of road, emergency flashers on or not.
The underskirt on our travel trailer decided to drop while we were on I75. My husband was under the trailer trying to brace it up while the trailer was rocking from passing traffic. We had a wide shoulder and were off the road but few vehicles got over a lane. Until I called 911. A state trooper was very helpful by pulling behind our rig and putting his lights on. He offered his assistance when we had to cut off the dropped underskirt too. When we had to pull onto t h e interstate he helped to move traffic over for us. Don’t forget to call an officer for your safety!
Drove semi for 46 years and I can tell you that not only cars but semis fail to move over also. Some care some don’t. After 2 plus million miles had to hang it up as it was getting dangerous out there and it was time to jump in our Itasca and get the heck out of Dodge. Indiana is good about pulling over those that don’t move over. Piece of advice, get that turn signal on early to let the traffic behind you know that you need over. I would also use my 4 ways to alert others there was something up ahead that needed their attention.
Amen, I will also add cell phones to the list as to why people don’t move over.
after reading through most of these comments, i’m saddened to see that we are not the only ones that have had trouble on the interstate and passerby’s could care less about you or your safety. while changing a blown out tire on the driver’s side of our trailer sitting on the shoulder of an interstate in west virginia, a tractor trailer rig wiped out one of our safety triangles with my wife standing there waving a yellow towel to try to help alert drivers to move over. most drivers did move over but this one rig driver came over on the shoulder and almost hit us both.
Well, much as I wish it were the law as you described, it is only in effect for emergency equipped vehicles – police, fire, EMT, tow truck, etc. with emergency lights.
The law doesn’t, at least in the states I’m aware of, require the same safety corridor for the rest of us.
Thankfully, MOST (but not all) drivers will tend to move over though it’s clear many drivers don’t even have a clue the dangers of driving at 80mph only 5 to 10 feet from a stationary object or worse, a human.
It is a great courtesy and excellent habit to just get into moving over or slowing down 20 mph below the posted speed limit whenever ANY vehicle is stopped on the shoulder, particularly when it’s a vehicle in distress.
I’m glad someone got it right. The law, at least in Tennessee, “requires motorists to move over … or slow down when approaching emergency vehicles, including recovery vehicles (tow trucks), highway maintenance vehicles, solid waste vehicles, or utility service vehicles.” Slow down means 20MPH below the posted speed. Unfortunately, it doesn’t apply to private vehicles stranded on the side of the road.
Yup. TPMS is mandatory for me! I’ve seen toads with flat tire dragging down the road and the MH did not even know it! The tire caught on fire, burned the whole front end of his Jeep, before he was told to pull over. Now, sometimes we have to bite the bullet to protect our rigs. Imagine the same thing about insurance? What if you don’t have any, because you don’t need it, until __it hits the fan!? 🤮
Like TPMS & seat belts in the tow vehicles today. Yes, they should be required safety devices when towing trailers at highway speeds. My 5 year old TPMS sensor failed on my dually truck. The right, inside rear truck tire failed at 62 mph on the highway. Had the sensor not failed I would have known there was a problem, stopped, and changed the tire. After replacing the tire I had the sensors checked and put back in working order. I now check all 10 tires for changing pressure and temperatures every 1/2 hr or so when towing.
I will always slow down and try to stay in the right lane, forcing those behind me to not go ripping by. The exception is police, ambulance or fire, then I will move to other lane.
The problem is most police whether local to state don’t enforce the law. That’s just like the law that says don’t ride the passing lane unless you’re passing a slower vehicle. I believe most states have that law but police do not enforce it. Some drivers think that if they’re driving the speed limit they have the right to drive in any lane they please.
It should also be noted that you should only be stopping on the shoulder if it is a genuine emergency, if you have to relieve yourself, change drivers or if you just want to check your rig you should wait for an exit and do it safely.
And now you have a better appreciation why police come up behind somebody pulled over, turn on THEIR flashers and overhang the patrol car, if need be, into the lane. It is to allow the owner enough safe working space to make repairs.
Ever notice truckers use at least 3 reflective orange triangles behind their rig with each approaching triangle slightly further out from the truck? Same reason. To create a safer working space.
And then there are the signs now in most States informing drivers entering a work zone that not only do speed fines double but there are additional financial penalties (presumably above what an injury court would levy) for injuring a worker with your vehicle.
And there are still drivers who don’t care about anybody but their own convenience.
Yup, I knew. I’m old enough to remember when it wasn’t a law, but common courtesy, which we sorely lack nowadays. Include in here the moving over for funerals who are on the highway. In town, pull over n stop.
How many times have I been on a 4 lane divided highway (that’s right, two lanes going each way) and I’ve pulled into the left lane as there is a stopped vehicle on the right hand shoulder and Mr. Idiot has passed me on the right so he/she/gender unspecified is now between me and the stopped vehicle and maintaining highway speed. For fear of causing an accident I’ve been tempted to straddle the line separating the two lanes but Mr. Idiot would likely try and squeeze through between us. Where I live, when there is an emergency vehicle, tow truck or maintenance vehicle displaying flashing lights all vehicles passing one of those vehicles must slow to 40 mph.
We, too, were in that situation. Our front passenger tire on our Grand Cherokee blew out without us noticing. We, too, had TPMS sensors on all 8 RV tires, but not the Jeep’s. Thankfully, we were also warned by passing motorists. However, beyond that we were greatly blessed in that a closed weigh station was at hand. We entered it and could change the tire, disconnect the Jeep, and have it towed to a nearby repair shop, all well away from the fast-moving traffic of Interstate 75. We immediately repented by ordering 4 additional TPMS monitoring valve caps and added them to our Jeep (after the damage was repaired and the tires replaced).
We always move over or slow dramatically when passing a truck or other vehicle on the roadside. It is easy to imagine how buffeted they feel and how unpleasant and difficult roadside repairs are without the addition of fearing for one’s life.
Driving I-90 when I noticed the large wet bay door had opened. The shoulder was rather narrow in that area and best I could do was to get the coach about a foot off the line, leaving a couple feet of door hanging into traffic. I had my flashers on but no one, including commercial “professional” drivers slowed down at all…in fact I’m sure most everyone was vastly exceeding the speed limit. To make matters worse, the cause of the issue was a broken component in the latch. As I tried to rig something to keep the door closed at least until the next exit I was terrified as big rigs and cars whizzed by within inches of me. I got a temporary fix in a couple of minutes but it was very scary.
Every interstate I’ve ever been on has signage about moving over or slowing down. ZERO EXCUSE for not knowing about and executing one of those. Life or death for the people on the side of the road…a second or two of inconvenience for those in the travel lanes.
Unless I have a major malfunction where my rig will not move I will slow down turn on my 4 way flashers to warn other drivers that I am a slow vehicle and proceed to the next exit turnout or some place safe.
I don’t care if I damage the wheel, the tire is junk no matter what. Anything else that might be damaged can be replace.
My life and my wife’s life is not worth the risk of sitting on the side of a highway.
AMEN!
As a courtesy to those vehicles stopped on the shoulder I always try to move over or slow down when passing by. Unfortunately the move over laws for most states apply to police, or other emergency vehicles with their flashing lights and not to vehicles driven by the rest of us.
Moving over for a disabled vehicle is a sign of respect for the other vehicle. There is one other thing that should be part of every RV owners inventory. A safety vest. They cost about $30. available at most Box stores and local hardware stores. No it won’t make you invincible, but you will be a little more visible to that speeding traffic.
all fifty states have laws relating to move over for disabled or emergency vehicles. Plus just common sense in safe driving would tell you to move over when possible or slow down .
If you watch “Cops” or “On Patrol Live” you would think people have never heard of pulling over for emergency vehicles with lights and sirens racing down the road. So why would you think they know about and obey this law?
Carry orange cones and flashing lights, that stick on the rv/truck or lay on the ground, or flares.
More than the move over law not being known,,, it surprises me how many RV’ers do not have TPM on wheels. This article is a perfect example of the need. A TPM would have notified the driver before it was necessary to pull onto the shoulder and would have more than likely allowed a pull off in a safe location. Please understand, by the same token, TPM is not miraculous and won’t warn of EVERY wheel issue. Most modern cars and trucks have built in no frills TPM, but RV’s do NOT?
I’ve seen it present more of a hazard to the move over law than what it would protect!