Tow truck drivers share safety tips for First Alert Weather Days

STEVENS POINT, Wis. (WSAW) - Rain, sleet, and snow are just a few things drivers will see during First Alert Weather Days throughout the winter, including the one Tuesday evening into Wednesday morning.

Slick roads mean tow truck drivers will be hauling vehicles that are unable to manage not sliding off of the roads.

Ben Gaboda is a tow truck driver for Johnson’s towing in Stevens Point. He shared some tips to stay safe and keep roadside first responders safe, “Slow, down, move over. Give us room to work,” said Gaboda. “It really needs to be the awareness of the people to give us room to work.”

Often times tow truck drivers have little space to work as vehicles speed past, “We all have families that we want to come home to at the end of the day and with everybody’s help, we can achieve 0 deaths in Wisconsin,” said Gaboda. “Speed limit is for dry conditions only. That doesn’t mean if it’s 70 mph posted, and it’s snowing and ice you’re going to go 70 mph.”

Another tip, make sure your headlights are on. Don’t just rely on them to automatically turn on because Gaboda says the indicator on the front of a vehicle that activates the automatic lights will not always work if there is even a little bit of sunlight.

While tow truck drivers appreciate offers of assistance from people, Gaboda says stopping to offer only causes a greater chance of an accident. If a tow truck finds itself in a precarious spot on the side of the road, they simply call another truck out to come get them.