A procession of tow trucks, police, ambulance and fire vehicles is planned for Saturday, Oct. 21 to draw attention to a Michigan law that 70 percent of its citizens haven’t heard about.  Everyone in those professions is invited to join a procession of vehicles that will travel from Nashville Saturday at 9 a.m. and drive to Middleville, where they will disband.

It’s to raise awareness of the law that is meant to make emergency roadside workers safer.

The “Move Over” law mandates that when drivers come upon tow trucks, police fire and ambulance workers in an adjacent lane, then they must slow down and pass with caution, giving the emergency vehicle as much room as possible. Tow trucks, are considered  emergency vehicles under the law.

Matt Spencer, owner of Priority Collision Center in Hastings, heard of the law at a trade show, along with some disturbing facts. In one year, 12 law enforcement members died on highways while working, and 66 tow truck drivers also died while on the job in the year. 

Spencer said to get the feeling that emergency personnel work under, “imagine yourself in your office chair parked on the yellow line in the middle of the highway. When you have a vehicle three feet from you pass you going 65-70 miles an hour, that’s pretty scary,” Spencer said. “We have the highest death rates of those who work on highways.”

The problem comes from drivers in five “d” categories: drunk, drugs, drowsy, distracted or dumb, Spencer said. “If I can do anything to raise awareness of the danger, and get people talking, I’ll do it.” 

Photos: (upper left) Matt Spencer, left, and his son Keagan will be in the Priority Collision Center tow truck in the Oct. 21 procession from Nashville to Middleville.

(left) The 66 tow truck drivers who were killed in one year while working at their jobs were memorialized with this display at a recent trade show in Ohio.