DMVZone

What must Texas drivers do when approaching a stopped emergency vehicle?

A police car with red and blue lights is stopped on the right shoulder of a highway with two lanes in this direction; a white car drives in the right lane and a red car in the left lane, with a blue arrow showing a move to the left.

On a highway with two lanes in your direction you see a stopped police car with flashing lights on the right shoulder. What does Texas law tell you to do?

Answer choices

The answer

Move out of the lane closest to the stopped vehicle when the road has two or more lanes in your direction. If you cannot, or the road has one lane, slow down: to 20 mph below the posted limit when the limit is 25 or more, or to 5 mph when it is under 25.

The law covers stationary emergency vehicles with visual signals, tow trucks, TxDOT and contract highway work vehicles that are not separated from traffic by channelizing devices such as cones or barriers, utility service vehicles, municipal waste and recycling trucks, toll project vehicles, and, since the 2025 expansion described by TxDOT, animal control and parking enforcement vehicles with the required signals.

The duty applies unless a police officer directs you otherwise.

Exceptions

  • A police officer's direction overrides the lane-change or slow-down duty.
  • The statute applies only to the listed vehicle types when they are stationary and showing the required lights.

Penalty

A first offense is a misdemeanor with a fine of $500 to $1,250, rising to $1,000 to $2,000 for a repeat within five years. It is a Class A misdemeanor if bodily injury results.

Why this rule matters for safety

People working beside traffic have no barrier between them and passing vehicles. Extra lane space or lower speed gives them room and gives you time to react.

Official sources

  • Texas Transportation Code, Chapter 545 (Operation and Movement of Vehicles) · Texas Legislature (Texas Constitution and Statutes system)Sec. 545.157, passing certain vehicles, covering vehicle types, lane change or slow-down duty, and penalties. The PDF shows no publication date.
  • Move Over or Slow Down · Texas Department of TransportationPlain-language summary and the September 1, 2025 expansion. This page words the 5 mph limit as 25 mph or less; this page follows the statute text, which says under 25 mph.

Rules checked against these sources on . Laws change. Confirm with the Texas agency before you rely on this for a legal matter.

More Texas questions

Continue Practice Test