By TERRY PUGH
Roadside responders are urging drivers to slow down and move over when they see emergency vehicle lights flashing on the side of a highway.
A cavalcade of tow trucks with a police escort are slated to gather at SaskTel Centre in Saskatoon on Tuesday, May 13 before driving around the City of Saskatoon on Circle Drive. The event is aimed at educating drivers about the laws relating to passing emergency vehicles and first responders engaged in performing their duties.
Since 2017, the Roadside Responders of Saskatchewan have held numerous events to raise awareness about emergency responder safety. The campaign was initiated following the tragic death earlier that year of tow truck driver Courtney Schaefer of Esterhazy, who was killed while responding to a roadside emergency during a blizzard. That same year, the provincial government passed a law allowing tow trucks to use blue lights while stopped on the side of a highway hooking up a disabled vehicle.
That law has made a positive difference, but there’s still a long way to go, according to Jackie Klotz, Secretary of the Roadside Responders of Saskatchewan.
“Unfortunately, there are still instances of tow truck drivers being killed or injured while on duty helping others,” said Klotz. “The most recent one in Saskatchewan happened earlier this year, on February 24, when Estevan tow truck driver Christian Burt was fatally injured after being struck by a vehicle on the highway between Macoun and Midale.”
Klotz said more people driving cars, light trucks and SUVs appear to be slowing down when passing emergency vehicles.
But she added, the major focus now is on educating drivers of larger semi trucks.
“The big trucks as a rule don’t seem to be as good about slowing down and moving over the highway,” she said. “We’re trying to get the word out. The major highways like Highway 1 and Highway 16 are dangerous for responders.”
The Roadside Responders of Saskatchewan event coincides with the CAA’s ‘Slow Down, Move Over’ campaign, which happens annually on the second Tuesday of May.
The organizations urge drivers to reduce speed to 60 kilometers per hour, change lanes to minimize the risk of collisions, and scan the road ahead for signs of tow trucks and emergency vehicles.