Stockton offers reminders ahead of National Move Over Day

By Brandi Makuski

STOCKTON — Fire Chief Jeremy Spencer is urging drivers to observe National Move Over and Slow Down Day.

Held on the third Saturday of each October, the day emphasizes the need for motorists to slow down and move over for emergency vehicles. The day is dedicated to increasing awareness of the risks emergency responders face while working along busy roadways.

“It’s incredibly important that people understand they need to slow down and move over for emergency vehicles,” Spencer said. “We see it all the time—people texting, driving by, taking pictures instead of moving over. Highway 10 is flat-out scary when we’re out there.”

Spencer expressed concern for his team’s safety during emergency responses, noting the dangers posed by distracted drivers.

“It’s scary for me to put our people out there knowing they have families to go home to. The quicker we get off the highway, the less risk we have of getting one of our own hurt,” he said.

The Stockton Fire Department is among many first responders in Portage County advocating for stronger enforcement of the “Move Over” law, which requires drivers to change lanes or slow down when approaching stopped emergency vehicles.

The “Move Over” law, passed in 2001, helps protect emergency responders, law enforcement officers, and maintenance workers who operate on the side of the road. The law requires drivers to move into a lane that’s not closest to an emergency vehicle if the road has multiple lanes. If a safe lane change isn’t possible or the road has only one lane, drivers must slow down to a safe speed and remain reduced until they’ve passed the emergency vehicle.

Breaking the Move Over law can result in a $326.50 fine and a four-point violation of the motorist’s license.