Slow down, move over: The law for roadside workers many drivers don’t seem to know

Drivers are being reminded to slow down and move over, to ensure all roadside workers make it home safe.

As part of its advocacy work, CAA is marking a national awareness day Tuesday to educate Canadians on the law.

“The road is their workspace and they deserve to go home to their families for supper just like anybody else,” said Julia Kent, spokesperson for CAA Atlantic.

“One of our biggest challenges is raising awareness about this law because what we see in road safety stops is only half of Atlantic Canadians even know about the law.”

Slow Down, Move Over legislation dictates drivers must slow down to 60 km/h, or obey the speed limit if it’s lower than 60 km/h, if they see an emergency vehicle pulled over with its lights flashing.

In situations where the road has two or more lanes in the same direction, vehicles must also move into another lane away from the stopped emergency vehicle. While the law initially only covered emergency vehicles such as police and ambulances, it was later updated to include tow trucks.

Last week, tow truck driver, Jason Beaton, was nearly struck along a busy stretch of highway outside Truro, N.S. when a passing car lost control and crashed into his vehicle.

That prompted him to call for improved safety, including a stronger police presence at work sites.

“My head is always on a swivel. I’m always watching and listening. Always,” Beaton told Global News last Friday.

1:58 N.S. tow truck driver almost hit while responding to crash

Research conducted by CAA, and AAA in the United States, shows the colour of warning lights matters in how drivers respond.

“A lot of provinces see blue light as reserved for police, and when it comes to safety we think that everybody working on the side of the road should have access to those blue lights that really get the attention of drivers,” said Kent.

Beaton’s co-worker, Andrew Peterson agrees with that assessment.

“People don’t respect our yellow flashing lights like they do the blue or the red. If we have police or fire on scene with us, the results are way better,” said Peterson.

“We fear for our lives every time we have to get out on the highway.”

In Nova Scotia, fines for not slowing down or not moving over start at $350.

“The risks are very high if someone doesn’t slow down. You could easily take someone’s life, have a severe MVC, and overall it’s for safety,” said Cpl. Guillaume Tremblay, spokesperson for NS RCMP.

He encourages people who witness dangerous driving to report it to police, and says officers are “out there every day” enforcing the law.