TOW TRUCK, EMERGENCY VEHICLE DRIVERS HOST RALLY FOR MOVE OVER LAW AWARENESS

Plenty of people know it’s the law to move over for emergency vehicles on the side of the road, but did you know you must move over for tow trucks, too?

On Sunday, tow truck and emergency vehicle operators gathered together and boosted awareness for the move over law in the second annual Move Over Awareness Rally.

Around 150 tow trucks and emergency vehicles made the trip from Bessemer to Tuscaloosa, ending their trek at the old McFarland Mall location.

“We want to go home to our families too, so all we’re asking for you to do is if you have that lane and you can move over, move over,” said tow truck driver Billy Green. “If you can slow down, slow down.”

Green said the towing industry has the highest death rate for roadside deaths because drivers aren’t aware of the dangers they face.

In fact, the rally began in memory of John Hubbard, a tow truck driver who died two years ago on Interstate 20/59.

Rally organizer Wes Passmore said nationally, one tow truck driver is killed on the side of the road every six days, and 23 roadside workers are killed every year.

“If this event saves one life this year we have made a difference,” Passmore said. “God has blessed us. That’s the whole reason we rally together.”

The Alabama Move Over Law states when an authoritized law enforcement, emergency, wrecker or utility vehicle is operating on the side of the road with flashing lights, drivers must move over one lane or slow down to 15 mph under the speed limit.