Transportation Code · §545.157

Passing Certain Vehicles (Move Over or Slow Down)

Passing Certain Vehicles (Move Over or Slow Down) (§545.157): key points and worked practice questions for Texas peace officer exam preparation.

Key points

  • Approaching a stationary vehicle listed in §545.157(a) using the required lights
  • Multi-lane: vacate the lane closest to the vehicle
  • Otherwise: slow to 20 MPH below posted (posted 25+), or to 5 MPH (posted under 25)

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Worked examples

Worked example 1

Texas's 'Move Over / Slow Down' law (§545.157) requires drivers approaching a stationary authorized emergency vehicle, TxDOT vehicle, tow truck, or utility service vehicle with activated emergency lights to:

  1. Honk continuously
  2. Vacate the lane closest to the vehicle on a highway with two or more lanes in the same direction, or slow to 20 MPH below the posted speed limit (posted 25 MPH or more) or to 5 MPH (posted under 25 MPH) Correct
  3. Stop completely
  4. Drive on the shoulder
Why: The Move Over / Slow Down law protects roadside workers and officers. Drivers must move over a lane (multi-lane highway, when safe) OR reduce speed by the statutory margin if moving over is unsafe.
Statute: Tex. Transp. Code §545.157
Worked example 2

Texas's 'Move Over' rule (§545.157) protecting roadside workers may also apply to which non-emergency vehicles?

  1. Only authorized emergency vehicles
  2. Authorized emergency vehicles, TxDOT vehicles, tow trucks with required lights, and utility service vehicles using authorized lighting Correct
  3. Any vehicle parked on the shoulder
  4. Buses only
Why: §545.157(a) covers: stationary authorized emergency vehicles using required signals; stationary tow trucks; TxDOT vehicles and highway maintenance or construction vehicles operating under contract (not separated by channelizing devices); utility service vehicles; stationary municipal solid waste or recycling trucks; toll project entity vehicles; animal-control and carcass-removal vehicles; and local-authority parking-enforcement vehicles — each using the visual signals the section requires.
Statute: Tex. Transp. Code §545.157

Statutory definitions for this topic

Move Over / Slow Down (§545.157) Tex. Transp. Code §545.157
Drivers approaching a stationary vehicle covered by §545.157(a) (emergency vehicles, tow trucks, TxDOT and contracted highway vehicles, utility, solid-waste, toll-entity, animal-control, and parking-enforcement vehicles using required lights) must vacate the closest lane on a multi-lane highway, or slow to 20 MPH below the posted limit (posted 25 MPH or more) or to 5 MPH (posted under 25 MPH).