Tow truck drivers and emergency responders from around the southwest gathered for a rally yesterday to honour an Esterhazy tow truck driver who lost his life responding to a call.

Courtney Schaefer was killed in a crash in the southeast on March 7th. RCMP reported that the collision involved a tow truck, a semi, and two other vehicles.

Last night, approximately 20 vehicles met west of Swift Current on the Trans-Canada at the Swift Current Weigh Scale. The vehicles lined the east and westbound lanes of Highway #1, flashing their lights and raising awareness for the need, and law, to slow down to 60km/h while passing emergency responders.

David Brady, Owner and Operator of Little Guys Towing in Gull Lake, explains the need for him to help coordinate the event stemmed from more than just Courtney Schaefer's death.

"It's not just the tow trucks, it's anybody pulled over on the side of the road - you gotta get away from them. If it was somebody's little kid that walks out there... anything like that. It just takes that split second of not paying attention and somebody gets run over. Try to slow down please, our families depend on us coming home safely," he said.

Another southwest tow company helping with the rally was Low Cost Towing. Cindy Remple, one of the owners of Low Cost Towing, shares her feedback from stranded motorists who have had their eyes opened to the issue.

"We hear people say all the time that they can't believe how many people don't slow down for us, or them, when they're pulled over on the side of the highway. That's the biggest thing - until it actually happens to somebody, they don't realize how important it is. We just want everybody to know that no matter who you are, somebody out there just needs some help and we're there to do that, so we just want everybody to be brought back safely," she said.

Remple explains current lighting and signage on emergency response vehicles hasn't seemed like enough, and that increased visibility on the roadways is hopefully on its way soon.

"Right now, the Roadside Responders of Saskatchewan - the tow truck association for Saskatchewan - is working with SGI, the Chiefs of Police, and the Government to try and get some distinctive lighting for the tow trucks. Right now we're pushing for amber and red lights, which we think would help," she said.

Rempel hopes that would bring visibility to levels similar to other road workers.

"You see the lights that are distinctive for snow plows and everything else. We just want the same type of thing for the tow truck industry, so if you're driving down the highway you know when you're coming up on a tow truck."

For David Brady, a decade in the towing industry hasn't seen much change for driver safety - a sight he's tired of witnessing.

"I started by changing tires on the highway and saw how dangerous that was. I've been here for 10 years, and it's still just as dangerous now. We need to change some things - people need to realize we're actually working out there."

For Brady, and Low Cost Co-Owners George and Cindy Remple, the biggest takeaway from the event is the education they need people to get regarding the re-enforcement of slowing to 60 km/h when passing responders on the side of the road.