Under section 159 of Ontario's Highway Traffic Act, drivers approaching a stopped emergency vehicle or tow truck with its lights activated must slow down and, on a multi-lane road where it is safe to do so, move into a lane not immediately adjacent to the stopped vehicle. A first conviction generally carries a significant fine, demerit points, and the possibility of a licence suspension; penalties increase for a subsequent conviction within a set period, including the possibility of imprisonment. The law applies broadly, not just on highways with high speed limits.
- Drivers must slow down and change lanes away from a stopped emergency vehicle or tow truck with its lights activated, where safe to do so on a multi-lane road.
- The law covers more than police cars — it generally includes fire trucks, ambulances, and tow trucks with appropriate activated lighting.
- A first conviction carries a meaningful fine, demerit points, and a potential licence suspension.
- A subsequent conviction within a set period carries substantially higher penalties, including the possibility of imprisonment.
- The rule generally applies on roads with a range of speed limits, not only high-speed highways — don't assume it's only a concern on the 400-series.
- Exact current fine and suspension figures are set by regulation and periodically updated — confirm the specific numbers on your ticket rather than an older source.
The Short Answer
Ontario's “slow down, move over” law, found in section 159 of the Highway Traffic Act, requires drivers to slow down and, where safe on a multi-lane road, change into a lane away from a stopped emergency vehicle or tow truck with its warning lights activated. It is designed to protect first responders and tow operators working at the roadside, and the penalties for ignoring it are notably more severe than many other common traffic violations.
What the Law Actually Requires
Two obligations apply together: slow down, and, where the road has multiple lanes travelling in your direction and it is safe to do so, move into a lane not immediately adjacent to the stopped vehicle. Both parts matter — simply moving over without slowing, or slowing without attempting to move over when it was safe to do so, can each fall short of what the law requires.
Which Vehicles Are Covered
The law is not limited to police vehicles. It generally extends to other emergency vehicles, including fire trucks and ambulances, and specifically covers tow trucks displaying appropriate activated amber lighting while stopped on a highway. This broader scope surprises a lot of drivers who associate the law only with police traffic stops.
Many drivers assume this is only a 400-series highway concern. In practice, the obligation generally applies across a range of road types and speed limits — don't assume a slower local road is exempt.
Penalties
A first conviction generally carries a substantial fine, demerit points, and the possibility of a licence suspension — a meaningfully heavier consequence than many other common moving violations, like following too closely. A subsequent conviction within a set period of an earlier one carries even steeper penalties, including the possibility of imprisonment in addition to a fine. Because the exact figures are set by regulation and periodically updated, confirm the current numbers against your specific ticket rather than an older source, and see our guide on how traffic tickets affect insurance in Toronto for how a conviction here compares to other violations on your record. In more serious cases, the underlying driving can also support a careless driving charge instead of, or alongside, the move over violation.
Possible Defences
- Lights not actually visible or activated — challenging whether the stopped vehicle genuinely met the conditions triggering the obligation.
- Moving over was not safe — where traffic or road conditions genuinely made a lane change unsafe at the time.
- Vehicle not covered — arguing the stopped vehicle does not fall within the categories the section actually covers.
- Identification issues — challenging whether you were correctly identified as the driver.
Why This Law Exists
First responders and tow operators working at the roadside are among the most vulnerable people on any highway — stopped vehicles passing at speed, often in the same lane, create serious risk. The steep penalties reflect how seriously Ontario treats this risk, which is also why courts and prosecutors generally take these charges seriously rather than treating them as a minor paperwork violation.
What to Do If You Are Charged
Given the penalties involved, treat a move over charge seriously rather than simply paying it without review — see our general guide on how to fight a traffic ticket in Ontario for how the process works. If the same stop also produced a seatbelt ticket, a failing-to-yield charge, or an HOV lane violation, review each on its own merits rather than treating them as a single package to just pay. Call 416-274-2222 for a free, confidential consultation on your specific situation.
Frequently Asked Questions
When approaching a stopped emergency vehicle or tow truck with its warning lights activated, drivers must slow down and, on a road with multiple lanes travelling in the same direction, move into a lane that is not immediately next to the stopped vehicle, provided it is safe to do so.
No. It generally extends to other emergency vehicles such as fire trucks and ambulances, and specifically covers tow trucks displaying the appropriate activated amber lighting while stopped on a highway.
Where changing lanes isn't possible or safe, the requirement to slow down and proceed with caution still applies — the lane-change requirement is specifically tied to multi-lane roads where it is safe to do so.
A first conviction generally carries a significant fine, demerit points, and the possibility of a licence suspension. Confirm the exact current figures against your specific ticket or with the court, since these amounts are set by regulation and can change.
Yes. A subsequent conviction within a set period generally carries substantially higher penalties than a first offence, including the possibility of imprisonment in addition to a fine.
Yes, the same as any other provincial offence ticket. Common issues worth reviewing include whether the stopped vehicle's lights were actually activated and visible, whether changing lanes was genuinely safe to do at the time, and whether the officer's observations support the specific charge.