HB76 Alabama 2012 Session

Updated Feb 27, 2026

Notable

Summary

Primary Sponsor: Mac McCutcheon
Republican
Session: Regular Session 2012
Title: Motor vehicles, Alabama Move Over Act, vehicles to slow down or move over for utility vehicles on roadside under certain conditions, Sec. 32-5A-58.2 am'd.
Summary: HB76 expands the Alabama Move Over Act to require drivers to slow down or move over for utility service vehicles on the roadside.
What This Bill Does
It adds utility service vehicles that display lights to the list of roadside vehicles that drivers must move over for or slow down when they are parked and performing utility work. It sets specific rules: on multi-lane roads, drivers must vacate the lane closest to the vehicle or slow to at least 15 mph below the posted speed if it’s not safe to move over; on two-lane roads, drivers must move as far away as possible and slow to 15 mph below the posted speed (or 10 mph below for very low limits). Violations are misdemeanors with fines of $25, $50, and $100 for subsequent offenses. The Department of Public Safety must run an educational campaign and update driver education materials, and the act becomes law three months after passage.

Who It Affects
Drivers: must slow down or move over when approaching utility service vehicles performing work on the roadside; face fines for violations.
Utility service workers and utility companies: protected by the law when working on roadside utilities with lights or signals.
Public safety and driver education entities: responsible for the educational campaign and updating driver education materials.

Key Provisions
Amends Section 32-5A-58.2 to include utility service vehicles with rotating/flashing lights or visual signals as protected roadside vehicles.
On interstate/multi-lane highways: vacate the lane nearest the vehicle or slow to at least 15 mph below the posted limit if it’s not safe to move over.
On two-lane roads: move as far away as possible within the lane and slow to 15 mph below the posted limit if the limit is 25 mph or greater, or 10 mph below if the limit is 20 mph or less.
Violations are misdemeanors with fines of $25 (first), $50 (second), and $100 (third or subsequent).
Department of Public Safety must run an educational awareness campaign and include information in all new driver’s license educational materials after January 1, 2010.
Effective date is the first day of the third month after the bill's passage; there is a transitional enforcement provision allowing warning citations for six months after August 1, 2009.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.
Subjects: Motor Vehicles