Richardson, TX -- (SBWIRE) -- 02/29/2012 -- Jess Horton, President of Southwest Tow Operators, a state and regional trade association for professional tow operators, one of the largest of its kind in the United States, has announced that they have established a new committee, the Move Over Law Awareness Committee, and that it will be chaired by Michelle Lopez of Fort Worth, TX.

The Move Over law states a driver must either vacate the lane closest to a stopped emergency vehicle if the road has multiple lanes traveling in the same direction or slow down 20 miles per hour below the speed limit. (If the speed limit is below 25 mph the driver must slow down to 5 mph.) Emergency vehicles include police, emergency medical service and fire vehicles. The Law has been in the law books since 2003 and in 2011, the Texas Legislature passed H.B 378, authored by Representative Ryan Guillen, that included Tow Trucks as well.

Michelle Lopez was part of a growing group that supported the inclusion of tow trucks into the Move Over Law and visited the capitol during the last legislative session several times to testify in support of the bill that passed overwhelmingly in both the State House and Senate. Michelle’s brother, Adam Lopez, was one of the tow operators fatally wounded after a driver struck him while he was performing his duties along a public roadway. She has been dedicated to preserving future lives by bringing awareness to the public to keep from what happened to her brother from happening to another tow operator or emergency personnel working along the public roadways. She has also been very dedicated and active in assisting families of those killed in the line of duty as she knows from personal experience that these losses do not just stop when it happens along those roadways, it affects families and friends for years after.

Michelle and the Move Over Law Awareness Committee, under Southwest Tow Operators, will work with other first responder associations throughout the State and nationally to begin a campaign to get the word out and make the Move Over Law one that is known in every household. Michelle is also calling for a National “Move Over Law Awareness Week” that she will spearhead with several other groups to create a grassroots effort to bring further awareness to the public, and is expected to kick off the week of April 21st. More information will be sent out once everything has been established and coordinated. Congratulations and good luck to Michelle!

For more information about this topic, please contact Tommy Anderson by calling 972-247-9454, or e-mail tom@swtowop.org.