Arizona’s Move Over Law

For the past twenty years, Arizona’s Move Over law has required drivers to change lanes (or slow down) when passing emergency vehicles stopped on the side of the road. Designed to protect first responders and prevent injuries or deaths, the law was expanded in 2011 to cover anyone stopped along the road, including stranded motorists and tow truck drivers.

Yet, Phoenix car accident lawyers often see cases where this law was clearly ignored or broken. 

Related Crash Statistics

According to the Arizona Department of Transportation, there have been more than 283 possible crashes involving first responders or their vehicles on Arizona roads and freeways between 2020 and 2023. Arizona’s AAA also reports that more than half of their truck drivers say they are nearly hit while at work at least once a week, with a close call happening as often as once or twice a month.

These numbers are why ADOT and local law enforcement agencies frequently launch awareness campaigns, informing drivers of these rules of the road, and protecting lives in the process. Crash Responder Safety Week, for example, highlights the risks first responders face while at work.

Move Over Law Key Facts & Consequences

What Happens If You Break the Move Over Law?

Just as Arizona has zero tolerance DUI laws, the Move Over law carries similar weight. Even if no one is hurt, a driver could face serious consequences for breaking the Move Over law, including fines, points on the individual’s driver’s license, or even increased insurance rates.

A simple moment of negligence or recklessness could lead to life-altering consequences for everyone involved. If someone is hurt or killed because a driver ignored the Move Over law, they could face criminal charges on top of any fines, civil liability, and financial responsibility for the victim’s damages, injuries, and pain and suffering.

What to Do If You’re the One Hit

Being a victim in this type of crash is one of the scariest moments a driver can face. Once the initial shock and chaos has passed, your health and your recovery should be the number one priority. This means checking in with your doctor, keeping detailed records of your visits and expenses, and noting how the accident has affected your life. 

But, in a situation like this, it’s important to document anything and everything. This includes filing a police report, collecting any photos from the scene, gathering witness statements, medical bills, and more. All of this evidence backs up your account of what happened.

Why Turn to the Experts?

If a driver failed to follow the Move Over law when you were hit, a personal injury attorney can help. Like any highway crash or rental car accident procedure, you need to take all the steps necessary to build your case. Once you’ve done that, our team at Gage Mathers Law Group can help you make sense of what comes next.

After an incident as traumatic as this one, you shouldn’t have to face it alone. Our trusted legal experts can guide you through every step of the process, from collecting all your important bills, reports and other documents to insurance negotiations and advocating for justice. We can handle the hard stuff, while you focus on healing!

About the Author

Joseph D'Aguanno

Guided by the belief that being a highly skilled specialist in a narrow field is better than being ordinary in everything, Joseph “JD” D’Aguanno leads Arizona’s best personal injury law firm in Phoenix, AZ. Having extensive cross-training in pre-litigation negotiations and trial lawyer skills, with decades of experience, JD strives to provide clients with the most valuable legal services a personal injury lawyer can provide. Under his direction, Gage Mathers Law Group is an award-winning personal injury law firm providing aggressive representation to victims of a car accident, medical malpractice, dog bite, motorcycle accident, and other injurious events. Gage Mathers is trusted by thousands of lawyers and clients throughout the country because of their reputation for getting clients the maximum compensation they deserve.

Years of experience: Over 24 years
Bar number: 020421
Location: Phoenix, AZ
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