Promoting safety for emergency and service workers is the focus of this year’s “Slow Down, Move Over” campaign for the Saint John Police Force.
This year’s campaign runs from May 12 to 15 and is one of several road safety campaigns that Saint John police will bring forward in 2022.
Staff Sgt. Sean Rocca said in an interview Wednesday that incidents involving emergency personnel and service workers are quite common.
“Across North America every year, nearly 100 tow truck drivers are killed every year after they’re struck by oncoming traffic, while they’re helping stranded motorists with flat tires, breakdowns and collisions,” said Rocca.
“This also applies to emergency service personnel, folks working in construction, as well as private entities working on the highways or roadways.”
Rocca said Canada’s slow down and move over laws were cast into the spotlight in 2017, when Nova Scotia RCMP Const. Francis Deschênes was killed on the job.
“When he was on duty in New Brunswick, Deschênes stopped to help a driver change a tire when he was hit and killed by a passing vehicle,” said Rocca.
Saint John police will be patrolling the area over the three-day campaign to ensure drivers are following road rules.
In New Brunswick, when emergency vehicles, tow trucks, utility trucks or road safety vehicles are stopped on the road and flashing their lights, drivers must:
- Slow down to one-half the posted speed limit and proceed with caution;
- Make sure it’s safe to proceed, then move to the left, away from the vehicle.
- If there are two or more lanes of traffic, the driver must safely move into another lane.
Not slowing down and moving over for these vehicles will cost you $292.50 in fines and three demerit points off of your driver’s licence.
