Hawai’i Drivers Reminded of Move Over Law

Kaʻahumanu Avenue traffic accident. 11.14.19. Courtesy photo.

The Hawai’i Department of Transportation is urging motorists to obey the move over law, which requires drivers to slow down to a reasonable speed that is safe under the circumstances and if possible make a lane change in order to leave one lane between the driver and the emergency situation.

Department officials say there have been four traffic-related fatalities throughout the state in the first nine days of 2020. Three of those deaths involved pedestrians.

One of the victims was a tow truck driver responding to a call on the H-2 Freeway when he was struck by a vehicle, according to the department.

“To keep everyone safe we are all required to slow down and move over when approaching an emergency situation on or to the side of the roadway,” HDOT deputy director Ed Sniffen said in a press release.

“Moving over is an easy way to save a life and that should be important to all of us.”

The move over law applies to all first responding vehicles such as police, fire and ambulances and includes the Freeway Service Patrol (FSP) and tow trucks.

For additional information on the statute, click here.