Arizona's Move Over Law Covers Every Vehicle With Flashing Lights — Not Just Police

Many Arizona drivers believe the Move Over law applies only to police cars. It doesn't. A.R.S. § 28-775(E) applies to any stationary vehicle displaying alternately flashing lights or warning lights — a tow truck, a roadside assistance vehicle, a road crew, or a family with their hazards on.

What the law requires

When you approach a stationary vehicle showing flashing or warning lights, the statute gives you two options:

Move over. On a highway with at least four lanes — at least two going your direction — change lanes into a lane not adjacent to the stopped vehicle, with due regard to safety and traffic conditions.

Or slow down. If a lane change is impossible or unsafe, proceed with due caution and reduce speed, maintaining a safe speed for road conditions. Arizona doesn't specify a number — the standard is what's safe for the conditions.

The penalties

Violations carry civil penalties of $275 for a first violation, $500 for a second within five years, and $1,000 for a third or subsequent violation within five years.

Why the law exists

People standing beside a stopped vehicle — stranded drivers, tow operators, emergency responders, road workers — are among the most exposed people on any road. A vehicle passing at highway speed a few feet away leaves no margin for error. The lane change costs seconds; the alternative can cost a life. Arizona's own safety campaign puts it simply: every vehicle, every time.

One more habit worth building

If you're the one who has to stop on a highway shoulder: get as far right as possible, turn on your hazards immediately, and exit away from traffic if it's safe to do so. Flashing lights are what trigger other drivers' legal duty to move over — use them.

Sources: A.R.S. § 28-775; Arizona Legislature bill summaries on civil penalty amounts; Arizona's Move Over AZ safety campaign.