New Virginia Law Allows Roadside Workers to Use Safety Message Signs

A new Virginia law, effective July 1, 2025, will allow authorized roadside workers to equip their vehicles with portable changeable message signs (CMS) displaying warnings like “Slow Down, Move Over.” Proposed and supported by AAA, House Bill 2074 aims to improve roadside safety by encouraging drivers to adjust behavior when passing roadside scenes. Studies by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety show that such signs significantly increase the likelihood of drivers slowing down and changing lanes, thereby reducing the risk of fatal roadside crashes. The law builds on previous efforts to expand Virginia’s Move Over laws to better protect emergency responders and disabled vehicles.