AAA, KSP and local tow operators demonstrate new variable message signs, a new step in roadside safety

HART COUNTY, Ky.- New variable message signs are being installed on tow trucks across Kentucky in an effort to improve roadside safety and remind drivers to slow down and move over for emergency personnel.

The signs, provided at no cost through a partnership with AAA, display the message “Slow Down. Move Over.” to alert approaching motorists of roadside incidents and help protect tow truck operators and other emergency responders.

Lynda Lambert with AAA said the initiative is intended to increase compliance with Kentucky’s Move Over Law, which requires drivers to move over a lane when possible or slow down when approaching stopped emergency and service vehicles.

“If you’ve seen them on the side of the road, you know the most important message they send is to slow down and move over,” Lambert said. “All 50 states have Move Over laws, but according to AAA research, while most Americans know those laws exist, only about 30% actually slow down and move over.”

According to AAA, nearly 350 people nationwide are struck and killed each year while outside a disabled vehicle. The organization also reports that 46 emergency responders were killed after being struck by vehicles while working roadside incidents in 2024.

AAA says 89% of those fatal incidents occurred on roads with speed limits of 55 mph or higher.

Local towing companies say the new signs provide another layer of protection for drivers who routinely respond to crashes, disabled vehicles and other emergencies.

“Whether it’s a crash or a DUI, we’re out there on the interstate with law enforcement,” said Rickey Alvey, owner of Alvey’s Towing and Recovery. “We’re not always considered first responders, but we’re responding to those emergencies just the same.”

The signs are designed to be highly visible during the day while automatically dimming at night to avoid distracting drivers.

“You can see it from at least a mile down the road, letting you know something is happening ahead,” said James Jones, owner of Jones Towing.

For towing company owners, the technology represents more than just another piece of equipment.

“I’ve got seven or eight guys who work for me, and they all have families,” Alvey said. “I want them to go home at night.”

Frankie McCoy, owner of McCoy Motors Towing and Recovery, echoed that message.

“The main goal is to go home to your family every night, and this is definitely a step in the right direction,” McCoy said.

Kentucky State Police Public Affairs Officer Karan Parker encouraged drivers to think about the people working along the roadside before passing emergency scenes.

“I would ask drivers to imagine it was their own family standing on the side of the roadway,” Parker said.

AAA says five states have begun implementing the variable message sign systems as part of an ongoing effort to improve safety for roadside workers and reduce preventable crashes.