Ionia County tow operator urges stronger protections for roadside workers

Ben Moore, a Kalamazoo native and longtime tow truck driver, is recovering in a Chattanooga hospital after a car struck him while he was working on a disabled tractor in Tennessee. He broke both legs and his right hand, and said he may not return to truck work.

Moore and Ionia County towing business owner Barry Bussell are calling for tougher penalties for drivers who hit roadside workers and for permission to add blue warning lights to tow trucks. Michigan law currently restricts blue emergency lights; tow trucks use other authorized warning lights, including white or amber.

Michigan’s Move Over Law requires drivers approaching certain stopped vehicles with warning lights to move over when possible or slow down when necessary. Moore and Bussell hope the crash raises awareness of roadside dangers. The Chattanooga Police Department had not responded to a request for information about possible charges by publication.

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