Only 49% of Ontario drivers always move over for tow trucks: what tow operators can do now
Ontario has required drivers to slow down and move over for tow trucks with flashing amber lights since 2015. A new study for CAA shows that, more than a decade later, about half of drivers still don't do it every time. For tow operators, that gap is a daily safety risk on every highway call, and it is worth planning around rather than hoping drivers catch up.
What the 2026 study found
The 2026 Ontario Towing & Tow Zone Study, conducted for CAA and released ahead of National Slow Down, Move Over Day on Oct. 17, found that only 49 per cent of Ontario drivers say they always slow down and move over when passing a tow truck. Compare that with ambulances (93 per cent), fire trucks (92 per cent) and police vehicles (91 per cent).
The problem is mostly awareness. Of the Ontarians surveyed, 82 per cent had heard the phrase "Slow Down, Move Over," but only 55 per cent knew the law applies to tow trucks. Many drivers who said they rarely or never move over either didn't know it was required or didn't see tow trucks as emergency vehicles, even though tow operators respond to collisions, breakdowns and other incidents every day.
Two other findings stand out for operators planning where their crews face the most risk:
- New drivers are the weakest link. Drivers with less than three years behind the wheel were among the least likely to comply. CAA notes the law isn't currently part of Ontario's new driver education curriculum.
- Toronto has the lowest awareness. Only 72 per cent of Toronto respondents had heard the phrase, compared with 84 per cent in Eastern Ontario and 90 per cent in Northern Ontario.
What the law says
When approaching a tow truck stopped with its flashing amber lights on, Ontario drivers must slow down and proceed with caution. On roads with two or more lanes going the same way, they must also move over one lane when it is safe to do so. Toronto Police Deputy Chief Robert Johnson put it plainly in CAA's announcement: when first responders or tow truck drivers have their lights flashing, drivers are legally required to slow down below the speed limit and leave space.
Changes coming January 1, 2027
Ontario Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria said the province is expanding the law on January 1, 2027. From that date, drivers must also slow down and move over for certain work vehicles stopped at the roadside with flashing amber lights. The list includes highway maintenance vehicles, public utility vehicles, waste collection trucks and roadside assistance vehicles like CAA's.
For tow companies, that matters in two ways. First, it is a fresh reason for police and the province to talk publicly about move-over rules this winter, which can help close the awareness gap. Second, if your business also does roadside assistance such as boosts, lockouts and tire changes, those service vehicles are named in the expanded law.
Message signs on tow trucks are being tested
CAA is piloting variable message signs on tow trucks across Ontario to see whether a clear, visible message helps drivers spot a roadside incident earlier. CAA cites research from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety that found drivers were 95 per cent more likely to change lanes when a message sign was active, and its own study found 93 per cent of Ontarians support the signs. Results from the pilot will be worth watching before you spend on signs for your own fleet.
Roadside safety checklist for tow operators
You can't control passing drivers, but you can control how exposed your crews are. A practical checklist for this winter:
- Brief every driver on the law. Make sure crews know what the move-over rule covers and what to report when a vehicle passes dangerously close, so police have details to act on.
- Light and position first. Amber lights on before stopping, truck placed to shield the work area where possible, and high-visibility gear on every time, day or night.
- Work from the shoulder side. Keep hookups, chains and paperwork away from the traffic side whenever the scene allows.
- Plan for high-risk areas. The study points to Toronto and to newer drivers as weak spots. Busy urban highways at night deserve extra caution and, where possible, a second truck or police support.
- Cut time on the shoulder. Every minute on the roadside is exposure. Sending the closest available truck and having the right equipment on board the first time keeps scenes short.
- Know where every truck is. If a driver goes quiet on a highway call, dispatch should be able to see exactly where that truck is stopped without waiting for a callback.
- Prepare for 2027. If you run roadside assistance vehicles, update your training and safety materials before the expanded law takes effect on January 1.
Where GPS tracking fits
Hardwired GPS fleet tracking shows dispatch where every truck is in real time, so the nearest truck takes the call and crews spend less time driving to and sitting on dangerous shoulders. It also gives you a clear record of where a truck was stopped and for how long. For more on why tow companies should track performance, see our look at the Las Vegas police towing contract fight, and for cold-weather prep across your fleet, our winter fleet safety checklist.
Sources: CAA North & East Ontario (Sarah Hirsi), "Only 49% of Ontario drivers always slow down and move over for tow trucks, study finds," Oct 16, 2026; CAA South Central Ontario via Cision, "CAA brings road safety partners and first responders together to urge drivers to slow down and move over," Oct 15, 2026.
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