'Move Over, Slow Down' Road Rules to commence in Queensland from 16 September 2022
On 16 September new road rules will commence that aim to improve the safety of emergency response workers.
The new ‘Move Over, Slow Down’ rules will require drivers to move over and leave one clear lane when passing emergency response vehicles that are stopped at the roadside and displaying flashing blue, red, magenta or yellow lights. If a driver cannot change lanes, they must move over as much as possible within their lane and slow down. Drivers that fail to move over or slow down when passing emergency response vehicles will risk a $431 fine and 3 demerit points.
Drivers will only be required to comply with the new move over, slow down rules when passing the following vehicles displaying flashing lights:
Emergency services (flashing blue and red lights)
- Queensland Police Service vehicles
- Queensland Ambulance Service vehicles
- Queensland Fire and Emergency Service vehicles
- Fire and Rescue Service vehicles
- Rural Fire Service vehicles
- State Emergency Service vehicles
Transport enforcement (flashing magenta lights)
- Transport and Main Roads compliance vehicles
- National Heavy Vehicle Regulator compliance vehicles
Breakdown assistance providers (flashing yellow lights)
- Tow trucks
- Roadside assistance, for example RACQ or other vehicles that provide a similar service and are clearly marked.
These laws will not apply to vehicles that work in planned temporary traffic management settings, for example roadworks, traffic controllers or planned construction. As part of the review, the suitability of existing temporary traffic management guidelines was considered in the context of roadworkers and traffic controllers. Feedback to the review was clear that the existing temporary traffic management approaches under the Austroads Guide to Temporary Traffic Management and the Queensland Guide to Temporary Traffic Management are appropriate in protecting these workers.
Additionally, these laws will not apply to any vehicle that is stopped on the roadside without flashing lights, or displaying indicator or hazard lights.
Here's what Industry can do to be protected by these laws
If undertaking roadside assistance work, vehicles and workers may be protected by these laws when working on the roadside. For the laws to apply, the vehicle must be a tow truck or considered a motor breakdown service vehicle.
A motor breakdown service vehicle must be:
- clearly marked as a vehicle that provides a service for another vehicle that is disabled on a road; and
- fitted with a yellow warning light.
Vehicle owners will need to make sure the vehicle has yellow lights fitted, as these lights must be flashing for the laws to apply. A vehicle can be fitted with a yellow warning light if it’s a special use vehicle. This means the vehicle is used to undertake hazardous work on the roadside.
It is important to remember that high speed road environments such as highways and motorways are dangerous, so if possible, it is important to try to exit these environments and move as far away from traffic as possible.
Information provided by the Department of Transport & Main Roads
