National Slow Down & Move Over Day in Canada is observed annually, on the second Tuesday of May!
It encourages drivers to slow down and move over a lane when passing emergency vehicles such as tow trucks, police, fire and ambulance.
Each day, tow truck operators across Nova Scotia hit the roads, risking their lives to help dozens of people roadside.
If you don’t see a tow truck assisting someone, you aren’t on the roads enough. Operators are constantly helping people in the most dangerous situations each day.
In many cases, operators are unable to work away from traffic due to the location of their control panels and the placement of vehicles that require assistance. This results in the operator having to be on the driver’s side of their vehicle to complete their work.
This poses extra risks when assisting motorists due to their placement and safety.
Many operators have their trucks geared so equipment necessary for most roadside services can be accessible on the passenger side, reducing their risk on the driver’s side.
Slowing down and moving over, makes our roads safer for everyone. This ensures our tow truck operators and first responders can return home to their loved ones.
What can you do to help? If you encounter car troubles and require tow services, consider pulling as far off the road as you can, if at all possible. In most cases, operators are forced to work too close to traffic due to the placement of vehicles needing assistance.
If you can move your vehicle to a safer location, this doesn’t only help the operator when they arrive but makes it safer for motorists driving by, keeping their eyes on the road.
In Nova Scotia, it is the law to slow down and move over.
Even with this law in place, numerous vehicles continue to zoom by while operators work, especially on 100 series Highways.
If you see an emergency vehicle pulled over with its lights flashing, you are required to slow down to 60 km/h or obey the posted speed limit if it’s lower than 60 km/hr.
If you’re on a road with 2 or more lanes in your direction, you must also move into another lane farther away from the stopped vehicle if you can do so safely.
Penalties could result in a $350.00 fine for a motorists first offence. However, a judge can impose a higher fine if it goes to court and higher fines for additional offences.
You need to slow down and move over for:
• Ambulances
• Police vehicles
• Fire department vehicles
• Fire chiefs’ or deputy fire chiefs’ vehicles
• Department of Natural Resources and Renewables vehicles
• Conservation officers’ vehicles
Vehicle transportation inspection vehicles
• Public safety vehicles, like sheriffs and bridge patrol officers
• Tow trucks that are stopped at the scene of a fire or collision or assisting a vehicle
We all play apart in making our roadways safer every day. Ensuring you slow down and move over makes sure all our loved ones return home!
Some information sourced below ⤵️
https://novascotia.ca/slowdownmoveover/
Adrian J.
