Colorado recognizes national 'Move Over Day' in effort to protect roadside lives

DENVER (KDVR) — The third Saturday of each October marks National Move Over Day, and the day emphasizes the need for drivers to slow down and move over for emergency and maintenance vehicles.

According to the Colorado Department of Transportation, every day CDOT maintainers and construction crews, law enforcement officers, emergency responders, and tow truck operators risk their lives to help keep Coloradans safe. 

Jason Hendley, owner of Big Toe Towing, said it is almost expected that a tow truck operator will get hit by a car in this line of work. 

“I’ve had multiple drivers hit over the years from drivers failing to slow down and move over,” Hendley said. “It’s a real possibility that a driver is going to be hit and or killed in this industry. “

The Bureau of Labor Statistics agrees with him even stating that, on average, two emergency responders – including tow truck workers – are struck and killed every month by a motorist who fails to obey the law by moving over to an adjacent lane and allowing the roadside rescuers the space to operate.

In 2023, Colorado enhanced its Move Over law to provide more protection to not only maintenance workers and emergency responders, but any Coloradan who finds themselves stopped on the side of the road.

It requires drivers to move over or slow down to 20 miles per hour if they encounter a stopped vehicle with their hazards or flashing lights engaged.

National Move Over Day is dedicated to increasing awareness of the risks and what can happen if drivers fail to slow down or move over not just on Saturday, but every day a driver hits the road.

“There is no reason for anyone who responds to crashes or repairs our roadways to lose their life,” said John Lorme, CDOT’s director of maintenance and operations. “Slowing down and moving over is a simple way to help protect CDOT workers, law enforcement, first responders and tow truck operators. These emergency, maintenance and construction personnel work in dangerous situations all the time, but drivers really increase that risk for them when they drive too fast, are distracted or under the influence and ignore flashing lights - behavior that is all against the law.”

If a driver fails to move over or slow down and is ticketed, it is a Class 2 misdemeanor traffic offense and will result in a $150 fine and a three-point license violation.