A Texas Department of Public Safety trooper was hit twice by passing drivers who failed to move over while he worked on the shoulder, according to the agency. The South Texas region identified the officer as Trooper David Gonzalez and released the incident as part of a new video in its VBTM series. The post frames both collisions as preventable and warns that Move Over or Slow Down is not optional.
🎬🔥𝐕𝐁𝐓𝐌 — 𝐒𝟐 • 𝐄𝐏 𝟖 🔥🎬
— TxDPS - South Texas Region (@TxDPSSouth) April 24, 2026
Now live.
Trooper David Gonzalez was struck twice by drivers who failed to Move Over or Slow Down.
🚨 Move Over | 🚨 Slow Down
It’s not optional. It saves lives.#MoveOverSlowDown @TxDPS #EndTheStreakTX pic.twitter.com/TQk9mLtjiN
The post, shared on April 24 by TxDPS South Texas Region, says the clip billed as "VBTM 2D S2 22 22 EP 8" is now live and shows Trooper Gonzalez being struck twice by drivers who did not move over or slow down. The agency used hashtags including #MoveOverSlowDown and #EndTheStreakTX and urged motorists to treat the law seriously.
State data shows troopers face regular roadside danger
Texas DPS has long warned that working the shoulder is one of the riskiest duties for troopers. Since Nov. 1, 2017, the department reports it has recorded 142 crashes involving stationary DPS patrol vehicles, resulting in 46 trooper injuries and two deaths, a figure the agency published in earlier enforcement materials, as outlined by Texas Department of Public Safety.
What Texas law requires drivers to do
Under Texas law, drivers must vacate the lane closest to stopped emergency or service vehicles with activated lights or, if they cannot safely change lanes, slow to 20 mph below the posted limit; on roads with posted limits of 25 mph or less, drivers must slow to 5 mph. Failure to follow the rule can carry fines and, in collisions that cause serious injury, criminal penalties, according to guidance from TxDOT.
Enforcement, outreach and the numbers behind the push
DPS has staged targeted operations to enforce Move Over/Slow Down, including a multi-state blitz that produced more than 1,300 Move Over stops and several hundred citations during a 12 hour effort. The agency says those operations and videos like the VBTM clip are meant to turn attention to a pattern of roadside strikes and persuade drivers to change behavior, as detailed by Texas Department of Public Safety.
The video is a blunt reminder that small acts, such as changing lanes when safe or easing off the gas, can protect people who work inches from moving traffic. Trooper Gonzalez's incident, shown in the clip, underscores the stakes for both officers and drivers on Texas shoulders.
