Skip to content

AMA supports bill that would allow flashing blue lights on tow trucks

The Alberta Motor Association is expressing support for a provincial bill that would allow flashing blue lights to be added to Alberta tow trucks to improve visibility and roadside safety.
28956281_web1_220428-RDA-AMA-blue-lights_1
On Thursday, Leduc-Beaumont MLA Brad Rutherford introduced Bill 207, which would allow flashing blue lights to be added to Alberta tow trucks. (Photo courtesy of Alberta Motor Association)

The Alberta Motor Association is expressing support for a provincial bill that would allow flashing blue lights to be added to Alberta tow trucks to improve visibility and roadside safety.

On Thursday, Leduc-Beaumont MLA Brad Rutherford introduced Bill 207, the Traffic Safety (Tow Truck Warning Lamps) Amendment Act.

AMA has advocated for tow trucks to have flashing blue lights since 2017.

Traffic safety research shows combining blue and amber light is the best way for a vehicle to be seen in low light and poor weather, which are the exact conditions in which AMA’s highest-risk rescues take place, the association said in a release.

“Every Albertan deserves to be safe at work, even if their office is at the side of the highway,” sais Michelle Chimko, AMA president and CEO.

“The importance of this bill goes beyond policy. This is about real people at the roadside: their safety and the safety of those they’re helping. It’s a simple change, informed by the best available research, that will make a very meaningful difference.”

Since December 2019, there have been 36 near-misses and at least 13 serious roadside incidents involving Alberta tow trucks and passing vehicles.

A 2020 AMA survey found 74 per cent of Albertans support the addition of blue lights to tow trucks for improved roadside safety. The change is also supported by key traffic safety stakeholders across the province, said AMA.

Should Bill 207 be passed, Alberta will join many other North American jurisdictions that already permit blue and amber flashing light on tow trucks. This includes Saskatchewan, which has allowed blue light on tow trucks since 2017, following the death of an operator at the roadside.



Send your news tips

Like us on Facebook and Follow us on Twitter