By Hayden Kenez
Winnipeg, Manitoba — March 18, 2013 — A year after sustaining life-threatening injuries when he was struck by a car while sitting inside his idling truck, a Manitoba tow truck driver is making the difficult transition back to work.
Adam Graver, of Crane Towing, had just climbed back inside the cab of his truck and was preparing to pull a car from a ditch, when a motorist veered off the road and slammed into him.
He spent a year recovering from serious injuries. Although the mental and physical scars have not yet fully healed, Graver has returned to work and is adjusting to the job that nearly cost him his life.
“The first few days were nerve wracking for him,” says Jen Tennant, office manager at Crane Towing. “But he seems to be doing okay.”
Tennant says that Graver has been following their return to work program, which allows him to ease back into work at the pace his recovery permits.
“We monitor him on a daily basis,” says Tennant. “We want him to come back to work safely.”
While motorists typically adhere to the rules that take effect when an emergency vehicle is pulled over on a road, Tennant says tow-truck drivers aren’t afforded the same courteousness. This can lead to incidents such as the one Graver continues to suffer from.
“Tow truck drivers deserve the same standards as emergency vehicles,” says Tennant. “We have the same rules, but they’re not enforced as much.”
Graver’s recovery comes at a time when tow truck safety is gaining prominence in Manitoba. This spring the Manitoba Legislature will be implementing mandatory speed limits when passing emergency vehicles and tow trucks. In addition, CAA is urging the province to post warning signs on highways.
