CBS News Miami rides along with FHP as "Move Over" law expands to save lives
WESTON — Behind the wheel in South Florida, it seems we are constantly seconds away from disaster.
In 2021, a Florida Highway Patrol trooper and another driver barely escaped a crash on I-95 in Palm Beach County. This is a reality first responders face far too often.
CBS News Miami's Austin Carter rode along with FHP Lieutenant Indiana Miranda to see firsthand the dangers emergency crews and drivers face when they don't move over. During a traffic stop on I-75 near Weston, we were on the lookout for anyone not moving over on the express lanes. It did not take long.
"This one did not move over and he didn't slow down," noted Lt. Miranda as traffic passed.
Once we caught up to the car that didn't move over, it got tense as the driver didn't immediately pull over.
"I have an unmarked Dodge that's blocking him because he's not stopping," Miranda said.
"Pull over to the right, you're being stopped!" she exclaims to one driver she stopped during the ride-along.
On the shoulder, the danger is still there. It's a delicate balance of getting the job done and staying safe.
"You're usually used to having them in the car and you keeping a visual on cars coming, the violator, and what you're doing on the computer," Miranda said.
The driver was issued a "move over" citation.
Since 2020, there have been 177 crashes in Miami-Dade and Broward Counties because drivers did not follow the law and move over. Fifteen of those have happened just this year, according to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.
"It's very scary, you can get killed," a driver told Carter. "If you see them pulled over, get out that lane, you never know if the driver is going to get out."
South Florida drivers said folks not moving over is a frequent sight.
"That happens all the time. Whether you're on a lane that has the accident or the opposite," another driver told Carter.
Troopers are revving up enforcement and 642 "move over" citations have been issued in our area so far this year.
"A lot of the times education is key," Miranda said. "We'd rather educate that person to avoid it happening in the future than them leaving with a bad taste in their mouth because they just got a very high fine or points on their license."
What do you do if you can't move over? If driving on a two-lane road, FHP says to slow down to a speed that is 20 miles per hour less than the posted speed limit.
Violating the Move Over law can result in a fine, fees, and points on your driving record.
