On Wednesday, July 8, an event was held in the parking lot beside Martensville A&W to showcase the importance of slowing down when passing emergency vehicles.
The ‘Burgers and Blue Lights’ event was held to help showcase the importance of slowing down when passing emergency vehicles and also as a memorial to fallen operators. The event, which is hosted by Brad’s Towing and sponsored by the Roadside Responders Association of Saskatchewan, was open to the public to see the emergency vehicles and speak to the drivers that operate them.
In 2017, the Government of Saskatchewan permitted tow trucks and other vehicles providing roadside assistance to use blue lights in conjunction with amber lights. This addition was made to help increase visibility from further distances on highways.
These changes were implemented following the death of tow truck operator Courtney Schaefer who was killed in a collision during blizzard conditions in March of 2017. The legislation for the addition of the blue lights was introduced and passed within one day, which is not only a rare occurrence, but also requires the unanimous support of the Legislature.
These changes made Saskatchewan the first jurisdiction in Canada to introduce a two-colour lighting combination for tow trucks.
Be sure to watch for emergency vehicles on the highways and if you do encounter one, remember to slow to 60km/hour when passing to ensure the safety of everyone.