Riverside County Sheriff's Office Increases Enforcement of Move Over Law

The Riverside County Sheriff's Office is intensifying enforcement of the Move Over Law, a nationwide regulation designed to protect roadside workers including law enforcement officers, emergency responders, tow truck drivers, and other personnel working along highways.

Under the law, drivers must take specific action when approaching a stationary emergency vehicle with activated lights. If safe to do so, motorists are required to move over one lane, creating a buffer zone between their vehicle and the emergency scene. When changing lanes isn't possible, drivers must reduce their speed to a level that would allow them to stop if necessary.

"This could mean the difference between life and death for somebody," said Deputy Sheriff Paul Abrego of the Riverside County Sheriff's Office. "If an accident occurs and you don't move over, if they move out into the lane and you can hit somebody, we want to protect our roadside workers and we want them to come home safe every day."

In Riverside County, violating the Move Over Law carries a $234 fine and adds one point to the driver's record, which is reported to the Department of Motor Vehicles. The consequences escalate significantly if a collision occurs—drivers may face criminal charges if their failure to comply results in injury or death.