October Is National Slow Down Move Over Month
Every October, the towing and recovery industry pauses to recognize something that should never need reminding: the people helping you on the side of the road are in real danger every time they step out of their truck. October is National Slow Down Move Over Month, a campaign observed across all 50 states to raise awareness of Move Over laws and the men and women who depend on drivers following them.
At Statewide Wrecker Service, we have been responding to roadside calls across Gwinnett County and Metro Atlanta since 1990. Over 35 years of service means over 35 years of our drivers working inches from traffic on I-85, I-985, Lawrenceville Highway, and Pleasant Hill Road. We take this month seriously because we live this reality every single day.
This post is our contribution to that conversation. Here is what Georgia’s Move Over Law actually requires, why it matters, and what you can do the next time you see flashing lights ahead on the road.
What Georgia’s Move Over Law Requires
The Law: O.C.G.A. 40-6-16
Georgia’s Move Over Law is codified under O.C.G.A. 40-6-16, also known as the Spencer Pass Law. It applies any time you are approaching a stopped vehicle displaying flashing lights in red, blue, white, yellow, or amber on a road with two or more lanes. The law covers law enforcement, fire and rescue, ambulances, utility vehicles, maintenance vehicles, and tow trucks and recovery vehicles.
When you see those lights, the law requires one of two things. If you can safely change lanes away from the stopped vehicle, you must do it. If changing lanes is not possible because of traffic or road conditions, you must slow below the posted speed limit to a speed that is reasonable for the conditions and be prepared to stop.
That is it. Move over, or slow down. The law is simple. Remembering it in the moment is the part that saves lives.
Which Vehicles Are Covered
A lot of drivers know to move over for police cruisers and fire trucks. Fewer realize the same law applies to tow trucks and recovery vehicles with their amber lights flashing. Every time a Statewide Wrecker Service driver pulls up behind a disabled vehicle on the shoulder of I-85 or works a recovery scene on I-985, they are protected by this law. The obligation falls on every driver who passes that scene, without exception.
The law also covers stopped utility and maintenance vehicles displaying amber or yellow lights. If you are driving through Gwinnett County or anywhere in the surrounding Metro Atlanta area and see any vehicle stopped on the shoulder with lights flashing, the Move Over Law applies.
What Happens If You Do Not Move Over
The Penalties Under Georgia Law
Failing to move over or slow down when passing a stopped emergency or roadside vehicle is a traffic infraction under Georgia law. A conviction carries a fine of up to $500. That is the baseline. If the violation results in an accident that injures or kills someone, the consequences escalate significantly. The driver can face criminal charges, potential jail time, loss of driving privileges, and civil liability that includes medical costs, pain and suffering, and vehicle damages.
The financial and legal exposure from a Move Over violation is real. More importantly, the human cost of a violation is irreversible.
Why the Risk Is So High
Tow truck operators work in one of the most dangerous occupations in the country. They respond at all hours, in all weather conditions, to scenes on high-speed roads where drivers are distracted, impaired, or simply not paying attention. The roadside is not a controlled environment. A single inattentive driver can change everything.
Our drivers on I-85 and I-985 work with traffic coming at them at highway speeds. They know the risk. They accept it because it is part of the job. What they need, and what the law requires, is for drivers to make that risk as small as possible by doing one simple thing: moving over.
What To Do When You See Flashing Lights Ahead
The sequence is simple and worth committing to memory.
Look ahead and identify the situation early. Flashing lights on the shoulder mean someone is working or waiting for help. Do not wait until you are close to react. Scanning ahead gives you the time and space to respond safely.
Check your mirrors and signal before changing lanes. A sudden lane change can create a new hazard if another driver is already moving into that space. Check your blind spot, signal your intention, and move over when it is clear to do so.
If you cannot change lanes, ease off the gas. Slow below the posted speed limit and hold that slower speed until you have fully passed the scene. Do not accelerate back to highway speed until the flashing lights are well behind you.
Put the phone down. Distracted driving is one of the leading causes of roadside fatalities. If you have your phone in your hand, you are not scanning the road ahead. A quick glance down at the wrong moment is all it takes.
How Statewide Wrecker Service Protects Its Drivers on Every Call
Our commitment to safety runs in both directions. We ask drivers on Gwinnett County roads to follow the Move Over Law, and we hold ourselves to the same standard of preparation and care on every call we run.
Every Statewide Wrecker Service operator goes out trained and equipped for roadside conditions. Our full fleet is outfitted with proper lighting to maximize visibility at any hour. Our drivers are trained in scene setup and safe positioning to minimize their exposure while working. We follow protocols designed to protect not just our crew, but the drivers and passengers we are helping.
When you call us for a tow or emergency roadside service in Gwinnett County or anywhere in the surrounding area, you can count on a team that takes its own safety as seriously as yours.
Spreading the Word in Gwinnett County and Metro Atlanta
National Slow Down Move Over Month is a reminder, but the work of keeping roadside workers safe happens 365 days a year. Here is how you can help beyond October.
Gwinnett County Roads Are Busier Than Ever
I-85 through Gwinnett County is one of the most heavily traveled stretches of interstate in the entire Metro Atlanta region. I-985 carries steady traffic north toward Gainesville and the surrounding communities. Lawrenceville Highway and Pleasant Hill Road handle daily local volume through Norcross, Peachtree Corners, Lawrenceville, and Snellville. None of that traffic stops when a vehicle breaks down on the shoulder. It keeps coming, and that is exactly what puts every roadside operator at risk on every single call.
Statewide Wrecker Service has been running calls on these roads since 1990. Our drivers work scenes in the early morning dark, in rush-hour gridlock, and in the merging chaos of I-85 interchange ramps. They do it because someone needs help. The least any driver passing that scene can do is give them a lane.
Make It Part of How You Drive in This Area
If you live or work in Gwinnett County, you already know how fast things change on I-85. A single incident near the I-985 split can back traffic through Norcross in minutes. When that happens, tow operators are on scene in live traffic conditions. Moving over is not just a legal obligation at that point. It is the difference between a scene that gets cleared safely and one that does not.
Share what you know with people in your life. A quick conversation with a teenage driver, a coworker who commutes on I-85, or a family member who uses Lawrenceville Highway daily can plant a habit that lasts. Most drivers who fail to move over are not malicious. They are inattentive or simply unaware of what the law requires.
When you see a roadside scene and you do move over safely, you are doing exactly what this campaign asks. It takes about three seconds of attention and intention. For the person standing next to that truck on the shoulder of I-85, those three seconds mean everything.
Move Over Law in Georgia FAQ
What is Georgia’s Move Over Law?
Georgia’s Move Over Law, codified under O.C.G.A. 40-6-16, requires drivers on roads with two or more lanes to change lanes away from any stopped vehicle displaying flashing lights, including tow trucks, law enforcement, fire and rescue, and utility vehicles. If changing lanes is not possible, drivers must slow below the posted speed limit to a speed appropriate for the conditions.
Does Georgia’s Move Over Law apply to tow trucks?
Yes. Tow trucks and recovery vehicles are explicitly covered under O.C.G.A. 40-6-16. Any time a tow truck is stopped on the roadside with amber or other warning lights flashing, drivers are legally required to move over or slow down.
What is the fine for violating Georgia’s Move Over Law?
A basic Move Over Law violation in Georgia carries a fine of up to $500. If the violation results in a crash that injures or kills someone, the driver may face criminal charges, loss of driving privileges, and civil liability for damages including medical costs and pain and suffering.
What is the Spencer Pass Law?
The Spencer Pass Law is another name for Georgia’s Move Over Law, O.C.G.A. 40-6-16. The name honors a Georgia law enforcement officer killed in a roadside incident. It is the same law that requires drivers to move over or slow down for any stopped emergency or roadside service vehicle displaying flashing lights.
When is National Slow Down Move Over Month?
October is National Slow Down Move Over Month, observed across all 50 states. The campaign is supported by towing associations, law enforcement agencies, and roadside safety advocates to raise awareness of Move Over laws and honor roadside workers who have been injured or killed on the job.
What should I do if I cannot safely change lanes when passing a tow truck on the highway?
If traffic or road conditions prevent you from safely changing lanes, Georgia law requires you to slow below the posted speed limit to a speed that is reasonable and appropriate for the conditions, and be prepared to stop. The key is to reduce speed significantly before you reach the stopped vehicle, not after you are already passing it.
Slow Down, Move Over, Save Lives
Statewide Wrecker Service has served Gwinnett County and Metro Atlanta since 1990. The drivers who run our calls on I-85 and I-985 are part of this community. They are neighbors, parents, and longtime members of the same roads you drive every day. Every time they pull up to a scene, they are trusting that drivers behind them will do the right thing.
Georgia’s Move Over Law exists because that trust needs to be backed by law. October is the time to talk about it, share it, and recommit to it. But the habit of moving over does not have an off-season.