06-06-2025
South Dakota is enforcing stricter rules on the 'Move Over' law
NORTH SIOUX CITY, S.D. (KCAU) — While all 50 states enforce the Move Over law that requires vehicles to change lanes on the interstate when passing a car that is pulled over, South Dakota drivers will face harsher penalties for not obeying the Move Over law.
'We have too many people getting injured or killed,' said North Sioux City Police Chief Richard Headid. 'So this is something that you implement and just due to the fact that we have the injuries out there and we're trying to prevent it from whether it's people that are working on a roadway or whether it's a simple individual who broke down along the interstate.'
Story continues below
Top Story: McCook Lake residents in need of more dirt to rebuild homes
Lights & Sirens: Traffic violation scam alarms Siouxlanders; police issue alert
Sports: Bishop Heelan girls soccer drops 1A State semifinal match to Davenport Assumption in 1-0 defeat
Weather: Get the latest weather forecast here
During the last legislative session, lawmakers changed the category for drivers who violate the Move Over law to a class 1 misdemeanor, the same category as getting a DUI. Headid hopes that with this new updated law, other states will soon follow it.
'I think we need to emphasize that so everybody in every state understands the importance of getting over, you know, saves lives, and that can be your life out there, you know, alongside the road. Somebody doesn't see you, next thing you know, you're getting rear-ended,' said Headid.
The Dispatch Manager of Stockton Towing, Trey Vanderschaaf, has personal experience with this.
'So we've had one of our own get struck by a vehicle working an accident,' said Vabderschaaf. 'I'm glad they're finally looking into it a little harder. And I wish, I hope, people kind of open their eyes and realize that this is not a joke. You need to move over and slow down.'
Vanderschaaf hopes this will reduce the number of injuries.
'I'm hoping it kind of opens people's eyes a little bit because there's there's times where there are people that blow past you at 80, 80 plus miles an hour on the interstate, and they just don't care,' said Vanderschaaf
This change will go into effect on July 1.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
