Flashing blue and red lights on the highway horizon are your cue.

It's time to safely switch lanes, giving police and emergency crews enough room to do their job, without fear of being struck by oncoming traffic. Do your part to help avoid a car accident in New York.

The "Move Over" law has been on the books in New York City for some time, and its function is to protect the men and women who are typically either responding to accidents or conducting a traffic stop.

Now, the law is expanding, and our New York City personal injury attorneys want to make sure you know about it.

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According to the New York Department of Transportation, the law was revised to include a number of other vehicles, including tow trucks, HELP trucks (which assist stranded motorists), trucks used for highway maintenance and all highway construction vehicles.

The law took effect Jan. 1, 2012.

Late last year, 53-year-old tow truck driver Todd Young was killed in Syracuse while he was working to load a disabled vehicle. The Post-Standard reported he was working the night shift when he was struck by a tractor trailer.

Young was declared dead at the scene, while the driver of the truck was ticketed for unsafely switching lanes.

Tom Brennan, head of the Empire State Towing and Recovery Association, was quoted as saying he fully supports the laws' expansion, having been involved in two roadside traffic accidents in New York himself - one of which caused serious injury to his customer.

The new law requires New York motorists to change lanes when there is an incident involving not just red flashing lights, but now amber flashing lights as well. If a driver can't safely change lanes, they are required to slow down.

Violators of this law could be fined more than $300 and be sentenced to a possible 15 days in jail.