11/12/2018
On 10/09/2018 Tuesday, an accident occurred in Plymouth County Iowa that injured one of our local tow truck drivers, Mark Stockton, owner of Stockton Towing. While Mark was towing a vehicle that had hydroplaned and entered the ditch line, another vehicle started to hydroplane and struck Mark. The next day Mark was on another tow and was again struck by another vehicle. Our prayers go out to the Stockton family for a full and speedy recovery of Mark.
Now onto the serious issue about this. Daily our Deputies, Police Officers, EMS personnel, Fire Fighters, Tow Truck Operators, and DOT personnel are on our roadways taking care of accidents and other issues that occur. It is your job as a driver to move over for flashing lights. All too often, on our roadways, people do not move over, causing emergency response personnel to have to run from the scene for safety. This has become all too common on accident scenes.
South Dakota Law states you must move over and slow down for emergency vehicles with their lights activated.
32-31-6.1. Stop required upon approaching stopped emergency vehicle using red signals--Requirements for approaching vehicles using amber or yellow signals--Violation as misdemeanor. Upon approaching from any direction any stopped authorized emergency vehicle making use of red visual signals meeting the requirements of this title, the driver of every other vehicle shall come to a complete stop before reaching the stopped emergency vehicle and may, unless otherwise directed, proceed with caution only after ascertaining that it is safe to do so, and upon approaching from any direction any stopped vehicle making use of amber or yellow warning lights, the driver of every other vehicle shall:
(1) If driving on an interstate highway or other highway with two or more lanes traveling in the same direction as the vehicle, merge into the lane farthest from the vehicle and proceed with caution, unless otherwise directed; or
(2) If driving on a two lane highway, slow to a speed that is at least twenty miles per hour less than the posted speed limit or five miles per hour when the speed limit is posted at twenty miles per hour or less and proceed with caution, unless otherwise directed.
A violation of this section is a Class 2 misdemeanor.
Also, another friendly reminder, when you are approached from behind by an emergency vehicle with its lights activated, slow down and move to the right as far as you can. Remember this emergency vehicle is trying to get to an incident safely and your assistance is greatly appreciated.
