Virginia § 46.2-888 Stopping on highways; removing motor vehicle from roadway

Virginia Statutes

§ 46.2-888 — Stopping on highways; removing motor vehicle from roadway

Virginia § 46.2-888

JurisdictionVirginia

Title 46.2Motor Vehicles

Subtitle IIIOperation

Ch. 8Regulation of Traffic

Art. 10Stopping on Highways

This text of Virginia § 46.2-888 (Stopping on highways; removing motor vehicle from roadway) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Virginia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

Va. Code Ann. § 46.2-888 (2026).

Text

A.No person shall stop a vehicle in such manner as to impede or render dangerous the use of the highway by others, except in the case of an emergency, an accident, or a mechanical breakdown.

B.In the event of such an emergency, accident, or breakdown, the emergency flashing lights of such vehicle shall be turned on if the vehicle is equipped with such lights and such lights are in working order. If the driver is capable of safely doing so, the vehicle is movable, and there are no injuries or deaths resulting from the emergency, accident, or breakdown, the driver shall move the vehicle from the roadway to prevent obstructing the regular flow of traffic, provided, however, that the movement of the vehicle to prevent the obstruction of traffic shall not relieve the law-enforcement officer

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

A. No person shall stop a vehicle in such manner as to impede or render dangerous the use of the highway by others, except in the case of an emergency, an accident, or a mechanical breakdown.

B. In the event of such an emergency, accident, or breakdown, the emergency flashing lights of such vehicle shall be turned on if the vehicle is equipped with such lights and such lights are in working order. If the driver is capable of safely doing so, the vehicle is movable, and there are no injuries or deaths resulting from the emergency, accident, or breakdown, the driver shall move the vehicle from the roadway to prevent obstructing the regular flow of traffic, provided, however, that the movement of the vehicle to prevent the obstruction of traffic shall not relieve the law-enforcement officer of his duty pursuant to § 46.2-373. A report of the vehicle's location shall be made to the nearest law-enforcement officer as soon as practicable, and the vehicle shall be moved from the roadway to the shoulder as soon as possible and removed from the shoulder without unnecessary delay. If the vehicle is not promptly removed, such removal may be ordered by a law-enforcement officer at the expense of the owner if the disabled vehicle creates a traffic hazard.

C. (Contingent expiration date — see Editor's note) In the event of an accident on any part of Interstate 66 where a HOT lane as defined in § 33.2-500 is under construction and the shoulders of Interstate 66 are being or have been removed, the driver shall move the vehicle from the roadway to the nearest pull-off area if the driver is capable of safely doing so, the vehicle is movable, and there are no injuries or deaths resulting from the accident, provided, however, that the movement of the vehicle shall not relieve the law-enforcement officer of his duty pursuant to § 46.2-373. For purposes of this subsection, "pull-off area" includes an exit ramp or otherwise agreed-upon location. A violation of this subsection is a traffic infraction punishable by a fine of $20.

Legislative History

Code 1950, § 46-256; 1952, c. 671; 1958, c. 541, § 46.1-248; 1962, c. 175; 1972, c. 63; 1974, c. 230; 1977, cc. 284, 326; 1985, c. 93; 1989, c. 727; 1997, c. 431; 2008, c. 737; 2017, c. 350; 2019, c. 265.