Slavko Hardi, owner of Hardi Towing, was winching a van out of the ditch on Highway 16 about 30 kilometres from North Battleford, Saskatchewan when a semi-truck lost control and hit his parked tow truck. At the time of the collision, Hardi was not in his truck and managed to run for cover in time to avoid being struck. His tow truck was severely damaged.
“People should engage their brains before they engage their transmission into gear,” said Hardi to CTV News after the collision. “Weather in Saskatchewan can change in a moment. With a side wind on the highway when there’s ice, it’s the perfect conditions for being stuck on the road or even worse.”
Hardi said that the driver of the semi-truck was travelling way over the speed limit of 60 kilometres per hour that is lawfully required when passing stopped emergency vehicles, including tow trucks, with flashing lights. The accident happened on a cloudy day on January 18. Visibility on the highway was good, but as RCMP reported, the semi-truck driver hit a patch of ice, causing him to slide towards the roadside.
Following the collision, Hardi reminded motorists that failing to comply with the Slow Down, Move Over law puts all personnel working on the side of the road in danger.