The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) has announced the outcomes of a coordinated, multi-state traffic enforcement operation targeting compliance with the Move Over, Slow Down law. The initiative took place on May 14 across Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, and Oklahoma.
During the 12-hour operation, officers conducted over 7,687 vehicle stops. Of these, 1,326 drivers were cited for Move Over, Slow Down violations. This resulted in 1,013 warnings and 580 citations being issued. Additionally, there were over 642 speeding violations recorded along with other enforcement actions including 114 motorist assists, 79 seatbelt citations, the serving of 33 warrants, and seven criminal apprehensions.
“This multi-state enforcement effort was a tremendous success,” stated Texas Highway Patrol Chief Bryan Rippee. “Working alongside our neighboring agencies amplified our impact and helped drive home a critical message: when you see flashing lights, move over or slow down. Together we made our roads safer—not just for first responders but for every driver traveling through our states.”
The DPS expressed gratitude to its partners—the Arkansas State Police, Louisiana State Police, New Mexico State Police and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol—for their collaboration in enhancing road safety across these states.
The Move Over or Slow Down law in Texas mandates that drivers either change lanes or reduce speed when approaching vehicles with activated emergency lights. This includes law enforcement vehicles as well as those from fire services, EMS units, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), tow trucks and others. Specifically in Texas, drivers must vacate the lane closest to stopped emergency vehicles or reduce their speed by at least 20 mph below the posted limit.
Drivers are reminded to only move over if it is safe and legal; otherwise they should slow down.
