Niagara Falls, Ontario — December 2, 2014 — The Canadian Automobile Association (CAA) is aiming to add tow trucks to the list of emergency vehicles, such as police cruisers and ambulances, protected under Ontario’s Move Over Law.
The existing law enforces motorists to slow down and move over when when approaching an emergency vehicle on the side of the road with lights activated.
“We are really hoping to get this passed,” CAA Niagra Vice President Bill Willard told the Toronto Sun. “Everyone deserves to have a safe work environment and these roadside heroes are just as important as a police officer or anybody else who is on the side of the highway.”
Willard says the CAA South Central Ontario, CAA North & East Ontario and CAA Niagara have been pushing for Ontario to join the five provinces who’ve already legislated the inclusion of towers in their Move Over Laws.
To date, the provincial government has passed the amendment through first reading, moving the process into the petition stage. The CAA is hoping to collect enough signatures for the petition by the closing date of Dec. 12.
Petitions can be found at all CAA offices, company trucks as well through select towing companies. It is not available online.
If passed, the amendment to the Highway 407 East Act, 2012, the Highway Traffic Act, and the Provincial Offences Act would read: “Slow down on approaching stopped emergency vehicle or tow truck.”
