Analicia Griego Ortega is the wife of a tow truck operator, mother of 3 young children and daughter-in-law, granddaughter, niece and friend to many more tow operators in New Mexico and now across the country. Ana’s pleas have been heard in her home town and nationally through social media posts she uses to warn others who share the road with emergency personnel, first responders and tow truck operators, to “Slow Down and Move Over. These are our family members out there and we need them to come home safely.”
A recent post by Ana before the July 4th holiday weekend reads:
“Family and friends!!! As everyone is getting ready for a four day weekend please remember that tow ops are out there missing family time and not even able to spend time with their family on the fourth, so PLEASE give them the room to work by slowing down and moving over. IT IS THE LAW. That’s my husband, father in law, family member and friend out there and we all want them home safe! I hope everyone has a safe and fun Fourth of July weekend!”
Ana along with hundreds of other Slow Down Move Over supporters, are a big reason that that a new bill has now been signed into law as of July 1st in New Mexico, adding tow operators and repair vehicles to the list of emergency vehicles included in the Slow Down Move Over law. The new law requires motorists to slow down and, if it’s safe, pull into a nonadjacent lane when approaching a repair, recovery or emergency vehicle with flashing emergency or hazard lights.
According to a national poll sponsored by the National Safety Commission, 71% of the Americans have not even heard of the “Slow Down Move Over” laws. The public needs to recognize that all first responders put their lives on the line every day on the job while helping their communities and travelers passing through their communities, and that sharing the road with these heroes means they play a vital role in allowing them to do their jobs safely.
Ana shared her journey and her personal story during the Spirit Ride stops in Tucumcari and Albuquerque, New Mexico last Wednesday, hoping to help spread the message and raise awareness. She described the regular check-ins from her husband before he leaves on a call and again when he is safely back at base, as just part of a tow operators daily routine. Families of first responders all share this reality, and unite together to ask motorists to help bring their loved ones home safely.
The American Towman Spirit Ride began on June 1 in Massachusetts, where tow trucks and emergency response vehicles began a relay of the ceremonial casket, “Spirit,” across the country. The casket, painted to depict tow truck drivers and emergency responders in action, is meant to honor those individuals who have lost their lives in roadside accidents. The relay is set to visit more than 250 cities by the end of 2018.
“It was an honor to hear Ana speak at the Spirit Ride campaign stops in New Mexico on Wednesday, and even a bigger honor to say she is a good friend” says Skip Bargielski of GSI Insurance, a division of Robertson Ryan & Associates, Milwaukee, WI. “Being in the tow insurance business for so many years, and knowing the roadside dangers presented to first responders, I can’t say thank you enough to Ana and the other supporters that are leading the fight for Move Over or Slow Down for Tow Trucks legislation. Thank you Ana!”.
