Rhode Island Move-Over Law

What Rhode Island requires

Rhode Island reads broad. Slow down and move over for anything stopped on the shoulder or breakdown lane, not only emergency and tow vehicles. Change lanes when it is safe, or drop your speed if you cannot. A first offense is $95 (R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-14-3).

Who you move over for, and the fallback

• Move over for: Emergency vehicles with flashing lights, tow trucks, transporter trucks, highway maintenance equipment, roadside-assistance vehicles with amber lights assisting a disabled vehicle, and any nonemergency vehicle stopped on the shoulder or breakdown lane.
• If you can't move over: On a multilane road, change into a lane not nearest the vehicle as soon as it is safe. If you cannot change lanes or it is a two-lane road, slow to a safe reduced speed until you are past.
• The 'any nonemergency vehicle on the shoulder or breakdown lane' language means a disabled car is covered, even though the state police summary leans on lit vehicles. The amber-light roadside-assistance trigger applies too.

What a violation costs

$95 for a first offense, set by the state traffic-violation schedule (R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-41.1-4). No separate injury or death tier in this section.

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