Poinciana tow truck driver was killed on Turnpike in November
The law is in place across the country, not just in Florida — if you see a service vehicle on the side of the road, you must move over one lane, or if unable, reduce your speed to 20 miles under the posted speed limit.
It’s the “Move Over Law,” and Florida Highway Patrol, Florida Department of Transportation — and the families of two tow truck drivers, killed within the last two years when motorists struck them vehicles — ask you follow it.
One of them, Paul Paez, 42, of Poinciana, died in November while responding to a previous single vehicle crash on Florida’s Turnpike near Ocoee; both the cruiser and tow truck had their lights activated. A southbound driver lost control and struck the tow truck, which struck Paez, who was pronounced deceased on the scene along with the driver.
“The pain our family has felt has been shattering,” said Marisa Cruz, Paez’s widow, at Monday’s briefing.
Paez’s family, along with that of Austin Gayne, who died in a February 2021 crash in Orlando, were part of Monday morning’s outreach event to encourage drivers to follow the law, and move over or slow down. Both Paez and Gayne drove for Johnson’s Wrecker Service, who experienced two tragedies in two years.
“It’s not just for law enforcement officers, it’s for all emergency and service vehicles,” said Lt. Tara Crescenzi, FHP’s Public Affairs officer for Troop D, which includes much of Central Florida including Osceola County.
January has been declared as “Move Over Awareness Month.” At Monday’s briefing, Crescenzi showed dash-cam video of an August 2022 incident, when a car crashed into a tow truck that was loading a vehicle in the left shoulder from a previous incident in the northbound Turnpike in Osceola County. Despite warning lights and cones placed behind the truck, the car flies up part of the truck’s flatbed, launched over the truck, flipped and came to rest 500 feet away.
The driver, a 20-year-old woman, survived, and was cited for violating the Move Over Law. Hers was one of 1,492 related crashes from January 2015 through October 2022. Seven of those were fatal, and 117 people sustained “incapacitating injuries.” In 2021 and 2022 there were 14,932 and 11,712 “Move Over” citations were issued.
“It was scary for the tow truck driver and the family (of the car waiting to get towed). The daughter kept talking to everybody about how dangerous it was,” Crescenzi said.
She said that most drivers understand to move over for emergency vehicles. But, the state law also requires drivers to move over for sanitation, utility, construction — and tow trucks — stopped on the shoulder displaying warning lights.
“Statistically, it’s not young drivers who violate the ‘move over’ law, it’s drivers between 30 and 60 who got their licenses before this law was enacted (in 2002),” Crescenzi said. “The side of the road is one of the most dangerous environments for them. We need motorists to help protect those who protect us by moving over or slowing down for emergency lights.
“These are preventable crashes. Move over, Florida, it’s the law, it’s common sense and, most importantly, it can save a life.”
