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Naples, Florida

Explaining Florida’s Move Over law

On Behalf of | Sep 15, 2018 | Car Accidents

Being stranded on the side of the road in Naples is never a pleasant situation to be in. Not only are you forced to deal with whatever issue is impairing your vehicle, but you also put yourself at the mercy of other drivers and their attentiveness (or lack thereof). Many of the clients that we here at The Caldarone Law Group, P.A. have helped in the past serve as unfortunate examples of what can happen when motorists do not pay close enough attention to what is happening along the roads on which they are driving. You might wonder why no protection is given to those on the side of the state’s roads. 

Actually, there is. According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, the state does indeed have a “Move Over law.” Yet most believe it only requires drivers to yield the right-of-way when they see an emergency vehicle approaching. In fact, the law also requires that when an emergency vehicle is parked along the side of the road, drivers must both move over one lane (provided it is safe to do so) and slow down to a speed that is 20 mph lower than the posted speed limit (in areas where the speed limit is less than 20 mph, drivers should slow their vehicles to 5 mph). 

The law defines “emergency vehicles” as being any of the following: 

  • Law enforcement vehicle, fire engine or ambulance
  • Sanitation vehicles
  • Utility trucks
  • Tow trucks

Your personal vehicle may not fall into either of those categories. For this reason, it is often recommended that you wait for any of the aforementioned vehicles to arrive before exiting your vehicle. More information on the state’s motor vehicle laws can be found by continuing to explore our site. 

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