01/04/2026
OPP: Tow Truck and Transport Truck Collide on Highway 11: What the Public Needs to Know
Gravenhurst, ON, Early this morning, Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) reported a collision on Highway 11 northbound involving a tow truck and a transport truck. According to the OPP’s initial post, the incident blocked the highway and involved emergency response vehicles but critical context was missing that needs to be part of the conversation about roadside safety.
While OPP’s brief update focused on the collision itself, it did not mention that the tow truck operator was on scene performing a recovery of a vehicle that had been pulled from a ditch following a suspected impaired-driving call when the secondary collision occurred. At the time, one marked OPP cruiser and a blocker truck were deployed to protect the scene, a traffic safety measure that has become standard practice on that stretch of Highway 11 since a January 21, 2025 collision in Gravenhurst where a tow operator was struck by a transport vehicle while working a crash scene.
That 2025 collision which saw a transport truck hit vehicles already stopped for a crash investigation left the responding tow truck operator injured. The transport driver was later charged with Careless Driving and Failing to Move Over under the Ontario Highway Traffic Act. This incident highlighted the very real dangers roadside workers face, leading to the increased use of blocker trucks vehicles deployed ahead of recovery operations to provide an additional buffer of protection.
Tow Operators Face Life-Threatening Risks Every Time They Work at the Roadside
Tow truck drivers do more than haul vehicles, they routinely expose themselves to live traffic while helping people in distress, whether due to collisions, breakdowns, or impaired driving events. Their work zones, especially on high-speed roads like Highway 11 or Highway 400, are extremely dangerous. Despite this, public reporting often fails to fully acknowledge the context and hazards these workers face.
Ontario’s Move Over Law (Highway Traffic Act Section 159) legally requires drivers to slow down and, where safe, move over when approaching stopped emergency vehicles and tow trucks with flashing lights, a law intended to protect police, fire, ambulance, and roadside workers alike. Yet, enforcement challenges and ongoing driver non-compliance continue to put these professionals at risk.
The dangers were tragically underscored on December 3, 2025, when a 42-year-old tow truck operator was struck and killed while assisting a stranded motorist on Highway 401 near Cambridge. According to police reports, the operator was hit by a vehicle that did not remain at the scene, prompting an active investigation.
On December 28, 2025 Ontario Provincial Police’s West Region post on X initially described the incident as a collision involving a passenger vehicle and a “pedestrian,” a term that can give the impression someone was walking along the roadway or crossing. However, reports later confirmed the individual struck was a tow truck operator who was roadside assisting another motorist at the time of the collision. Reports stated the operator was taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries and later succumbed to those injuries. The driver of the vehicle involved was also transported to hospital with minor injuries. Police have not announced whether charges will be laid.
This fatality marks the second tow truck operator to lose their life in a roadside incident in Ontario in the month of December, underscoring ongoing safety concerns for roadside workers operating in active traffic environments.
These losses, from injuries on Highway 11 to the fatality on Highway 401 and Erin, are stark reminders that roadside service workers are just as vulnerable as construction crews or first responders. The work they perform keeps our roads moving and helps protect other motorists, yet often goes unnoticed unless tragedy strikes.
More Must Be Done: From Reporting to Real Safety Measures
It’s time for:
More comprehensive public reporting that explains the full circumstances of these incidents, including why tow operators are on scene and the protective measures in place.
Greater public awareness and compliance with Move Over laws and safe-driving guidelines near emergency and roadside workers.
Continued implementation of safety tools like blocker trucks, advanced lighting, and traffic management protocols at recovery scenes.
Tow truck operators put their lives on the line every time they come to help the public, whether responding to a DUI crash or a simple mechanical breakdown. They deserve not only our gratitude but our concerted effort to make roadside work safer for everyone.
