PITTSBURGH — AAA East Central is recognizing Move-Over Day today by reminding Pennsylvania motorists to move over and slow down for any vehicle with flashing lights parked on the roadside.

Thanks to a new law that went into effect earlier this year, additional protective measures are now in place to assist motorists who are stopped on the roadside and to penalize those who put them in harm’s way.

“Pennsylvania’s Move Over Law (Act 105 of 2020) was a bold step towards protecting all roadside responders, like tow operators and medical personnel,” says Theresa Podguski, director of legislative affairs, AAA East Central. “Move-Over Day is a great time to remind motorists of the dangers that these responders take every day to keep people safe on Pennsylvania’s roads.”

Pennsylvania’s Move Over Law requires motorists approaching an emergency response area who are unable to safely merge into a lane further away from the response area to slow to no more than 20 mph less than the posted speed limit.

An emergency response area is defined as “where an emergency vehicle has its lights flashing, or where road crews or emergency responders have lighted flares, posted signs, or try to warn travelers.”

Pennsylvania’s Move Over Law also creates a new point system, and strengthens fines and punishments for those who don’t comply. It imposes fines at $500 for first-time offenders, $1,000 for second-time offenders and $2,000 for third-time offenders. For third and subsequent offenses, it requires a 90-day license suspension and sets a $10,000 fine for violators who kill or injure an emergency responder or person in a disabled vehicle.