Even Lawyers Don't Know This Law: OHP Issues $1,244 Citation

You’d think someone with a law degree would know Oklahoma’s traffic laws inside and out. You’d be wrong.

The Oklahoma Highway Patrol recently cited a driver on the Turner Turnpike who failed to move over while passing a traffic stop—a violation of the Bernardo-Mills Law. The twist? The driver was an attorney who later admitted to troopers she wasn’t aware the law existed. And that $1,244 fine? That’s just the price of ignorance, apparently.

This incident underscores something the Highway Patrol wants every motorist in the state to understand: the move-over law isn’t optional, and it’s not something you can talk your way out of with credentials. The Bernardo-Mills Law requires drivers approaching stopped emergency vehicles, maintenance vehicles, licensed wreckers displaying flashing lights, or vehicles with hazard lights activated to move over one lane when it is safe to do so on multi-lane roadways. If changing lanes is unsafe or impossible, motorists must slow to a safe speed and proceed with caution. On two-lane roads, where lane changes aren’t feasible, drivers are required to reduce speed and pass carefully.

Here’s why this matters: emergency responders, tow truck operators, highway maintenance workers, and stranded motorists often work just feet from moving traffic. The Oklahoma Legislature established this law specifically to protect these workers from the very real danger posed by passing vehicles. It’s not about bureaucratic red tape—it’s about keeping people alive.

The penalties reflect that seriousness. A first offense carries a $1,244 fine. Get cited again, and you’re looking at $2,744. Those numbers add up fast, which means the state clearly isn’t treating this as a minor infraction.

The irony of an attorney being cited for this violation cuts deeper than a simple“oops.”It’s a reminder that no one—not lawyers, not doctors, not anyone—gets a pass on knowing the law. If you’re behind the wheel in Oklahoma, the Bernardo-Mills Law applies to you. Next time you see emergency lights or flashing hazard lights on the side of a highway, don’t assume you know what to do. Move over. Slow down. Keep someone safe.