Ohio Move Over Laws
If you don’t move over while driving in Ohio, you could face misdemeanor charges and fines starting at $300.
Written by Sean Boehme
Reviewed by Jessica Barrett
Ohio
state law requires all drivers to either change lanes or slow down when approaching a vehicle that has pulled over on the highway or interstate and has its lights flashing. Failure to do so can result in a misdemeanor charge and a $300 fine for just the first offense. Pulling over to the side of the road can be dangerous for first responders, highway employees, and motorists alike. The state of Ohio estimates that a tow truck driver is struck and killed by a passing car
once every six days
.
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What is the move over law in Ohio?
If you are driving on an Ohio interstate or state highway and you see a vehicle that has pulled over to the side of the road with its lights flashing, you are required to give the vehicle at least one lane of space.
Since emergency vehicles usually pull over on the right, this almost always means that you will need to move at least one lane to the left.
If you cannot move over, maybe because of bad weather or heavy traffic, you are at least required to slow down significantly as you pass the emergency vehicle. You can either speed back up or return to your preferred lane once you have completely passed the vehicle
What kinds of vehicles are covered by Ohio’s move over law?
The law applies to any stationary vehicle with flashing lights on a highway or interstate. Some standard examples include:
- Police vehicles
- Highway patrol vehicles
- Fire engines
- Ambulances and EMS vehicles
- Tow trucks
- Maintenance or utility vehicles
- Construction vehicles
Penalties for violating Ohio’s move over laws
If you fail to abide by Ohio’s move over laws, you may:
- Be asked to pay a fine at double the standard rate
- Be charged with a misdemeanor
Since the standard fine for the first violation in Ohio is $150, you could have to pay $300 for failing to follow the move over law. Two offenses would be $600, and more than two in a year will be $1,000.
The intensity of your misdemeanor charge will also increase if you continuously violate the law.
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Can violating move over laws raise your insurance?
The $300 fine may seem like a lot of money on its own, but failing to abide by Ohio’s move over laws can cost you even more in the long run. That’s because of the potential misdemeanor charge.
If you commit one or more traffic-related misdemeanors, there is a high chance that your
car insurance
rates are going to go up as a result. Because of this, you could face a steep rate hike if you break the move over law when you already have other violations on your record.“My past tickets were making it hard to find affordable insurance. WithJerry, I went from paying $450/month to $273/month. They took care of everything—such a relief!” —Josephine R.
Move over laws save lives
The main reason that all 50 states have introduced move over laws is for safety. Emergency vehicles have to spend prolonged periods of time at the side of the road, and the more distance between them and speeding cars, the safer workers and first responders are.
After expanding the laws in 2013 to include any stationary vehicles with flashing lights, Ohio’s move over laws are some of the most robust in the country. The only location in the U.S. without move over laws is Washington D.C.
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