Move Over or Slow Down, GSPD warns
Granite Shoals Police Chief John Ortis keeps an eye on oncoming traffic during a stop on a two-lane road in Granite Shoals. The department will be enforcing and educating drivers about the Move Over or Slow Down law. Staff photo by Dakota Morrissiey
Move Over or Slow Down for law enforcement, emergency, and work vehicles on the side of the highway or you might be talking to the Granite Shoals Police Department. The GSPD is ramping up enforcement and spreading awareness of the law, Chief John Ortis said.
The department posted an announcement of the coming enforcement push on its Facebook page June 6. The purpose is safety and education.
“One of the most dangerous things for (law enforcement) is traffic stops,” Ortis explained. “We’re not trying to be reactive, we’re trying to be proactive, not just for Granite Shoals, but for Burnet County as a whole.”
No officers have been killed or injured in Granite Shoals due to violations of the Move Over or Slow Down law, but Ortis wants to get ahead of the game and educate the public on how they can help protect law enforcemnt and themselves.
The law also applies to emergency service workers, Texas Department of Transportation work crews, and any other vehicle that displays emergency lights while pulled over.
“As a department, we feel like educating our community in regards to this is worth it if it saves one person’s life,” Ortis said.
The Move Over or Slow Down requires that:
- Drivers vacate the lane closest to the stopped vehicle if the road has multiple lanes traveling in the same direction.
- If the closest lane can’t be vacated, drivers must slow to 20 mph below the posted speed limit. If the speed limit is below 25 mph, the driver must slow to 5 mph.
- Drivers can be ticketed up to $200 for a violation and fined up to $2,000 if a crash results in the injury.
3 thoughts on “Move Over or Slow Down, GSPD warns”
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Good for the GSPD. Wish this law were more frequently enforced on all Texas roadways.
True, I wish they would also enforce the “GET THE HECK OUTTA THE LEFT LANE IF YOU’RE DRIVING THE SPEED LIMIT” law.
Yes