BC Highway Patrol Alert: April ‘Slow Down, Move Over’ Enforcement Across British Columbia

Police agencies across British Columbia are dedicating the entire month of April 2026 to strict enforcement and public education around the province’s Slow Down, Move Over law. The initiative is being led by BC Highway Patrol and partner agencies to protect roadside workers, tow operators, utility crews, and emergency responders who regularly operate only metres away from moving traffic.

Throughout April, drivers in BC are being reminded of the “70/40 rule” whenever they approach any stopped vehicle displaying flashing amber, red, or blue lights. This campaign is province-wide and focuses on changing driver behaviour so that giving space and reducing speed near roadside incidents becomes a consistent and automatic habit, not an occasional courtesy.

Official Details of the BC Slow Down, Move Over Campaign

According to BC Highway Patrol, the Slow Down, Move Over law is set out in Section 47.02 of the BC Motor Vehicle Act Regulations. When you see any vehicle stopped with flashing amber, red, or blue lights activated, you must follow the legally required 70/40 rule:

• On roads where the posted speed limit is 80 km/h or higher, you must slow down to 70 km/h or less as you pass.
• On roads where the posted speed limit is below 80 km/h, you must slow down to 40 km/h or less as you pass.

In addition to slowing down, drivers are required—when it is safe to do so—to move into the furthest available lane away from the stopped vehicle displaying flashing lights. This is intended to create a safer buffer for anyone working at the roadside or responding to an incident.

The law applies whenever qualified vehicles are stopped with flashing lights activated, including:

• Construction vehicles
• Tow trucks
• Utility and highway maintenance vehicles
• Police, fire, and ambulance vehicles

Failure to comply with the Slow Down, Move Over requirements carries a financial penalty. The current fine for disobeying this law in British Columbia is $173. Beyond the fine, drivers risk contributing to collisions that can seriously injure or kill people working on or near the roadway.

BC Highway Patrol emphasizes that this campaign is not only about enforcement, but about shifting driving culture so that reducing speed near flashing lights—down to 70 km/h on highways and 40 km/h on most municipal roads—becomes the community norm.

CrimeCanada.ca Safety Perspective

From the perspective of CrimeCanada.ca, roadside safety is a core public safety issue for British Columbia communities. Collisions involving tow truck drivers, highway maintenance staff, and first responders are often severe and can occur in seconds when drivers fail to slow down or make room. Campaigns like this April enforcement blitz are essential to preventing serious injuries and fatalities along BC’s highways and municipal roads.

We encourage all drivers to treat any flashing amber, red, or blue lights as a clear signal to immediately check your speed, cover the brake, and prepare to change lanes safely to create as much space as possible. Building strong driving habits—like scanning ahead, anticipating work zones, and respecting traffic control personnel—aligns with the broader road safety education found in our Safety Academy resources. For ongoing updates on enforcement initiatives and safety trends, you can also follow other public advisories through our national Safety Alerts hub. Together, we can reduce preventable tragedies and keep BC’s road workers and first responders safe while they protect and serve the public.

Official Source & Community Safety

This safety alert is based on an official release from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). CrimeCanada.ca aggregates and analyzes this data to keep the british-columbia community informed, aware, and safe. We are an independent safety data aggregator and not the original creators of the underlying incident report.

Read the full official release here: RCMP Official Statement.