Following-Distance & Headlight Rules, by State
How far back to follow another vehicle, when to dim high beams for oncoming and following traffic, and the move-over law for emergency vehicles.
This table compares Move Over for a stopped emergency or service vehicle. Still being verified state by state, and already on each state's own page where we have it: Following-distance rule, Dim high beams within (ft): oncoming, Dim high beams within (ft): following, Headlight requirements, Min following distance behind emergency vehicle (ft), Motorcycle following rule, Cyclist safe-passing rule, Defensive-driving framework.
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- Move Over for a stopped emergency or service vehicle
| State | Move Over for a stopped emergency or service vehicle |
|---|---|
| Alabama | On a road with two or more lanes going your way, vacate the lane closest to a st... |
| Alaska | Approaching a stopped emergency, fire, law-enforcement, tow, road-maintenance or... |
| Arizona | Approaching any stopped vehicle displaying flashing or warning lights on a road... |
| Arkansas | Approaching any authorized vehicle stopped or parked on the road or shoulder sho... |
| California | Approaching any stationary vehicle displaying warning lights on the roadside, ap... |
| Colorado | When you approach any stationary vehicle on the shoulder showing emergency, tow,... |
| Connecticut | Connecticut's Move Over law reaches any vehicle stopped on the shoulder, not jus... |
| Delaware | Approaching any stopped vehicle displaying a warning signal, move into a lane no... |
| District of Columbia | Approaching a stationary emergency vehicle with its lights or siren on, change i... |
| Florida | Vacate the lane closest to a stopped emergency, sanitation, utility, wrecker, ro... |
| Georgia | Approaching a stopped emergency, tow, recovery, highway maintenance, utility or... |
| Hawaii | Approaching an emergency vehicle stopped with its emergency lights flashing, slo... |
| Idaho | For a police car, emergency vehicle, tow truck, or highway incident response veh... |
| Illinois | Approaching a stopped emergency vehicle or emergency scene with lights flashing,... |
| Indiana | Change lanes away from any stopped vehicle showing emergency, amber, or hazard l... |
| Iowa | Approaching any stopped vehicle with flashing lights, including an ordinary car... |
| Kansas | Move over for anything stopped on the shoulder with warning lights on, including... |
| Kentucky | Approaching a stopped emergency vehicle, public safety vehicle, or any disabled... |
| Louisiana | When any vehicle lawfully displaying visual warning signals, including alternate... |
| Maine | Passing a stopped emergency vehicle showing an emergency light, or a stopped pub... |
| Maryland | Maryland's Move Over law reaches any vehicle stopped, standing or parked on a hi... |
| Massachusetts | Approaching a stationary emergency response vehicle, highway maintenance vehicle... |
| Michigan | Approaching a stopped emergency vehicle with its lights flashing, slow to at lea... |
| Minnesota | Approaching a stopped vehicle with emergency, flashing or warning lights on, mov... |
| Mississippi | When an emergency vehicle is stopped on the side of a four-lane highway with its... |
| Missouri | Approaching a stationary vehicle showing red, red and blue, amber, or amber and... |
| Montana | Approaching a stopped law enforcement, emergency or highway worker vehicle showi... |
| Nebraska | Move over a full lane for any stopped vehicle with someone in or near it on a co... |
| Nevada | On approaching any traffic incident, and unless a law enforcement officer direct... |
| New Hampshire | New Hampshire's move-over duty is unusually broad: it covers any stopped or stan... |
| New Jersey | Change lanes away from any stopped emergency vehicle, tow truck, highway mainten... |
| New Mexico | When you approach a stopped emergency vehicle, or a tow, recovery or repair vehi... |
| New York | Slow down for any emergency or hazard vehicle stopped with its emergency, amber,... |
| North Carolina | When an emergency vehicle or a public service vehicle is stopped within 12 feet... |
| North Dakota | On the interstate, or on a multilane highway outside city limits, when an emerge... |
| Ohio | Approaching any stationary public safety, emergency, road service, waste collect... |
| Oklahoma | Under the Bernardo-Mills Law, when you approach any stationary vehicle displayin... |
| Oregon | Oregon's move-over law applies to any motor vehicle stopped with its lights flas... |
| Pennsylvania | Move into a lane that is not next to an emergency response area or a disabled ve... |
| Rhode Island | Approaching any vehicle stopped within 12 feet of the roadway with warning light... |
| South Carolina | When you approach a stopped emergency vehicle with its lights flashing, you must... |
| South Dakota | South Dakota goes further than most states. |
| Tennessee | Approaching any stationary emergency, utility, highway maintenance, solid waste,... |
| Texas | Approaching a covered vehicle stopped on the road, most of them showing warning... |
| Utah | Approaching any stationary vehicle stopped beside the highway with warning light... |
| Vermont | Approaching a stationary law enforcement vehicle with blue lights, a stationary... |
| Virginia | On a highway with at least four lanes and at least two going your way, you must... |
| Washington | Approaching any stopped emergency, police, tow, roadside assistance, constructio... |
| West Virginia | Approaching any stationary vehicle showing warning lights, hazard flashers, flar... |
| Wisconsin | Approaching a stopped emergency, tow, highway maintenance or utility vehicle wit... |
| Wyoming | When an emergency vehicle is parked with its lights on, or a municipal, public u... |
51 states verified. Tap a state for source citations and full Following-Distance & Headlight Rules detail.