A tow truck driver narrowly avoided being struck by a passing vehicle along the Nanaimo Parkway at the Dunster Rd. overpass on Saturday, Sept. 6, as they were assisting a broken-down vehicle on the side of the road. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Jordan Davidson

slow down move over

Tow truck driver injured while avoiding passing car on Nanaimo Parkway

Sep 11, 2025 | 11:58 AM

NANAIMO — A local tow-truck company is reminding drivers to slow down and move over when they see emergency vehicles on the side of the road, after one of their drivers was injured.

On Saturday, Sept. 6, around 2 p.m., an operator with Mid Island Towing was in the process of hooking up to an inoperable vehicle in the southbound lanes of Hwy 19. at the Dunster Rd. overpass, when another vehicle drove past, close enough to force the tow truck driver to take quick evasive action.

Mid Island Towing general manager Mike Oldfield said his driver had their emergency lights activated and safety equipment on when the incident occurred.

“A passing motorist did not yield, did not slow down (and) move over as required by B.C. law, and as a result, the driver had to think quick and jump out of the way so he wasn’t struck or pinned between the tow vehicle and the passing motorist. He jumped up on to the deck and slipped as he jumped up, and he hit his head on the steel deck.”

The driver of a Mid Island Towing truck had to jump on their flat deck to avoid being struck by a passing vehicle along the Nanaimo Parkway. (Jordan Davidson/NanaimoNewsNOW)

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He said the stretch of the highway offered good visibility in both directions and plenty of room on the shoulder, with the driver feeling it was a safe spot to do his job.

The driver later received medical attention in Ladysmith and is currently off work recovering from a concussion.

Oldfield said his driver was able to get a quick look at the offending vehicle, describing it as an older, black Mazda or Hyundai sedan, and they reported it to the RCMP.

NanaimoNewsNOW has reached out to the Nanaimo RCMP for more information and will update the story when it becomes available.

He said it’s unfortunately something they have to deal with regularly.

“Drivers are instructed that if they feel they’re not in a safe location or a safe spot, to call another truck in to assist by blocking the lane, which causes a lot of upset and angry people who get stuck in traffic. We get stuck in traffic, and we’re the bad guy, but we’re only doing it for our safety.

Oldfield said raising awareness about the safety of tow truck drivers and others who operate along busy roads is important to help keep them safe while at work.

“As long as people see a tow truck and think ‘hey, I remember reading about this last week I should slow down and move over’, if that what it takes. It’s very unfortunate to repeat it. We could put a post out there to remind people to slow down, move over, but it seems to fall on deaf ears until you have an incident.”

A Mid Island Towing driver was injured in an incident north of Lantzville in January 2022, when a passing impaired driver struck the open driver’s side door of the tow truck when the operator was getting back inside, causing the door to slam on their ankle.

The B.C. Highway Patrol conducts yearly roadside campaigns reminding drivers of the Slow Down, Move Over law, where drivers must reduce their speed to a maximum of 70 kilometres per hour where the speed limit is greater than 80 km/h.

Speed limits drop to 40 kilometres per hour in zones under 80 km/h.

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