CHESTERFIELD, Va. (WRIC) -- A new state law change is giving roadside workers an extra tool to better protect themselves on Virginia's busy roadways. Beginning Tuesday, July 1, roadside service providers like AAA will be rolling out truck-mounted light-up signs, warning drivers to slow down and mov e over as they pass a roadside scene. On Wednesday, March 26, A demonstration was held at AAA in Bon Air, and 8 News witnessed firsthand how the signs work, displaying bright, clear messages aimed at grabbing drivers' attention -- all programmed by a tablet. AAA Richmond fleet manager Raymond Elkins said his team currently has two flatbed tow trucks equipped with the signs like you see here. "When you're playing on your phone or you're falling asleep, hopefully the lights will wake you up," said Elkins. This new law -- House Bill 2074 -- builds upon Virginia's 2023 "Move Over" law, which mandated drivers to move over for disabled vehicles displaying hazard lights. The recent change, signed into law by Gov. Glenn Youngkin, extends this protection by allowing any authorized vehicle with flashing lights to use these portable message signs. Data from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that, in the U.S., nearly 2,000 people were killed outside of a vehicle in roadside crashes between 2017 and 2021. Each year, 24 emergency responders, including tow providers, are killed, which equals emergency personnel being killed every other week, on average, according to an announcement from AAA on Wednesday. "All the brand new trucks that come out now, which every fleet gets new trucks every year, they come equipped with them," said Elkins. The implementation of these signs follows years of advocacy by AAA, supported by traffic studies that demonstrated their effectiveness in reducing roadside accidents. "Makes all my drivers feel safer. makes me feel safer about putting people in that position," said Elkins. ...read more read less