Collier tow truck companies urge motorists to obey ‘move over’ law

EAST NAPLES, Fla. Daniel Martin says his drivers risk their lives every day on the road.

“Nobody realizes it, no one cares about it,” Martin said. “I mean, they see us and just whiz by us.”

Martin, the owner of George and Sons Towing in Naples, said an RV recently hit one of his tow trucks and kept driving.

“It could’ve been the guy out there flattened on the ground,” he said. “We got lucky.”

Florida law states that if motorists encounter a tow truck on the side of the road, they need to move over or slow down to 20 mph below the posted speed limit.

However, motorists are either unaware or don’t care, Martin said.

“There are cars breaking down left and right out there, we’re always on the interstate,” he said. “It’s always a problem, whether we have our lights on or not.”

The same law also applies to law enforcement and emergency vehicles, as well as any vehicle with flashing lights.