During severe weather events, drivers sometimes stop, stand, or park under highway overpasses in an attempt to protect themselves or their vehicles from tornadoes, hail, high winds, or dangerous rain.

While this may seem safer in the moment, it can create serious danger for everyone on the road.

Vehicles stopped under overpasses can block travel lanes, shoulders, ramps, and emergency access routes. This can cause sudden traffic backups, increase the risk of crashes, delay first responders, and trap other drivers in exposed areas during fast-moving weather emergencies.

Overpasses are also not safe tornado shelters. Severe winds can accelerate under and around overpass structures, and people sheltering there may still be exposed to flying debris, traffic, and other roadway hazards.

This petition is not about punishing people who are scared during severe weather. It is about preventing dangerous roadway blockages, protecting emergency response access, and giving drivers clearer guidance before the next major storm happens.

We are asking federal and state leaders to work together on a practical public-safety solution.

At the federal level, we call on the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and Congress to support model guidance, public education, and standardized roadway signage warning drivers not to stop under overpasses during severe weather.

At the state level, we call on state legislatures, state Departments of Transportation, highway patrol agencies, and emergency management officials to adopt enforceable laws prohibiting drivers from stopping, standing, or parking under overpasses during active or declared severe weather events, except in true emergencies.

This should apply when a vehicle is blocking or obstructing:

• Travel lanes
• Highway shoulders
• Entrance or exit ramps
• Emergency access routes
• Areas needed for traffic flow or evacuation

Common-sense exceptions should remain in place for disabled vehicles, crashes, medical emergencies, police direction, or situations where stopping is unavoidable.

The law should apply during dangerous weather conditions such as:

• Tornado warnings
• Severe thunderstorm warnings with destructive winds or large hail
• Flash flood emergencies
• Hurricane or tropical storm conditions
• Other declared roadway weather emergencies

This effort should begin in tornado and severe-weather-prone states, including: 

Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Georgia, Florida, South Dakota, North Dakota, Colorado, and Minnesota.

Drivers need clear signs, clear emergency alerts, and clear laws.

Stopping under an overpass may feel like protection, but it can put many lives at risk by blocking the roadway when every second matters.

Please sign this petition to support state laws, federal guidance, public awareness campaigns, and highway signage that keep overpasses clear during severe weather emergencies.