Iowa next week plans a special enforcement effort of its law requiring vehicles to move offer when encountering vehicles with flashing lights on the sideof a highway.
The Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau (GTSB) is partnering with the Central Iowa Traffic Safety Task Force (CITSTF), and law enforcement across Iowa June 17-19 to educate drivers about the importance of yielding to vehicles on the shoulder displaying flashing lights. Expect to see extra law enforcement on the road looking for those in violation of Iowa’s Move Over Law, according to a statement from the Iowa Department of Public Safety.
The Move-Over Law has been in effect since 2002 in Iowa. It requires motorists to change lanes or slow down if changing lanes is not possible when approaching a vehicle on the shoulder displaying flashing lights. This includes emergency vehicles, tow trucks, commercial trucks, and passenger vehicles with flashing lights or hazard lights illuminated.
Penalties for violating this law include a fine of $210.25 and can include suspension of driver's license privileges ranging from 90 days to one year in cases of property damage, bodily injury, or death.
