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 New Image Towing, we have been responding to roadside calls across Forest Park, Clayton County, and South Metro Atlanta since 2000. Over 25 years of service means over 25 years of our Wreckmaster Certified drivers working inches from traffic on I-285, I-75, Tara Boulevard, and Jonesboro 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 New Image Towing driver pulls up behind a disabled vehicle on the shoulder of I-285 or works a recovery scene on I-75 through Clayton County, 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 Forest Park, South Fulton, Ellenwood, College Park, Jonesboro, or anywhere in Clayton County 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.
As the contracted towing provider for Clayton County and the city of Morrow, our drivers respond to scenes across one of the busiest corridors in South Metro Atlanta. 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 New Image Towing Protects Its Drivers on Every Call
Our commitment to safety runs in both directions. We ask drivers on Clayton 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 New Image Towing operator goes out trained, Wreckmaster Certified, 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 Forest Park, Clayton County, or anywhere in South Metro Atlanta, you can count on a team that takes its own safety as seriously as yours.
Spreading the Word in Clayton County and South 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.
Clayton County Roads Are Busier Than Ever
I-285 through Clayton County is a constant-motion corridor carrying freight, commuters, and airport traffic around the clock. I-75 cuts directly through the heart of the county, connecting South Metro communities to downtown Atlanta and beyond. Tara Boulevard and Jonesboro Road handle local volume daily through Forest Park, Jonesboro, Stockbridge, and the surrounding area. When a vehicle breaks down on any of these roads, traffic does not wait. It keeps coming, and every operator on that shoulder is working with live traffic at their back.
New Image Towing holds the towing contracts for Clayton County and the city of Morrow, which means our drivers are on these roads more than any other towing service in the area. They run calls on I-285 interchanges, on the shoulders of I-75, and on local roads where there is often no barrier at all between the work zone and moving traffic. That is the reality of the job. What changes it is drivers who move over.
Make It Part of How You Drive in This Area
If you live or work in South Metro Atlanta, you already know how quickly I-285 can go from moving to stopped. A single incident on the south side of the perimeter can affect traffic from College Park to Stockbridge. When tow operators are on that scene, they are managing an active situation with traffic bearing down on them. Moving over is not a courtesy. It is the law, and it is the difference between a scene that ends well 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-75, or a family member who uses Tara Boulevard regularly 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-285, 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
New Image Towing has served Forest Park, Clayton County, and South Metro Atlanta since 2000. The drivers who run our calls on I-285 and I-75 through Clayton County 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.