Unveiling of the blue lights on the back of Tow Trucks

[TowForce]

Monday 05.22.23:

Dave Duchnik Reported they were here Harrisburg for the unveiling of the blue lights on the back of Rollbacks and Tow Trucks. He was speaking about his son, David L Duchnik who was tragically struck and killed on the interstate recovering a vehicle.

 

Dave stated the blue lights should be a big help. People may slow down and move over for us. We all have families to come home to, his son never made it home that awful morning. God bless, him and everybody else has been killed as well those injured in the line of duty. Just doing their job.

 

 

[TowForce]

Todd Leiss Wrote:

Today was a good day as we brought together a great group of individuals and agencies for a safety message at the Pennsylvania State Capitol in Harrisburg. I am grateful to Senator Doug Mastriano, Senator David G. Argall, Doug Zubeck and staff for making this event possible.

 

 

This press event focused on the Move Over Law, Blue Lights on Stationary Tow Vehicles, Survivors and new legislation being introduced

to help bring awareness to responder safety.

 

 

I wore a pink shirt for the event to remind those listening that when approaching an emergency scene in which pink or salmon color signs

are present to Slow Down and Move Over away from the responders and to not hit the responders helping others!

 

 

Thank you to Dave Duchnik, Michele Duchnik, Duchnik's Auto Service Ctr & Towing, Deb Foica Laudenslager, Bob Bemis,

and Brian Shockey for being the voice and getting your stories out, stories that need to be heard.

 

 

Thanks to Heidi Jo Bentsel Richcreek HJ Towing & Recovery, Chris Clouser, H&S Towing & Recovery, Michael Hippensteel, Hippensteel Auto Inc., Mike Litwak,

Derrick Lash, Lash's Towing, Michael Sarver, Morgan Towing Service Lancaster,PA, Leahys Towing, Michael Workman, Todd Deam, DATS Towing

(I know I am missing some companies, people)

 

 

Finally, thanks to Jennifer Layman and Nathan Bordner for helping to organize everything.

 

 

 

 

 

 

National Struck-By Heroes

PennTIME - Pennsylvania Statewide Traffic Incident Management Group

Emergency Responder Safety Institute

Pennsylvania Towing Association

Move Over Pennsylvania

[TowForce]

Dave Duchnik wrote following the unveiling:

 

It was a tough day today, but me and my wife Michele got through it and now there are blue lights on the back to tow trucks

for people to slow down and move over. I’m sure it will help.

 

We gotta keep getting a message out there, thank you everybody and thank you Harrisburg for getting this law passed.

 

Special thanks to senator Doug Mastriano. And all those involved in getting the bill signed

 

My son, David, rest in piece and we will not stop getting the word out there. God bless you.

 

 

Mastriano: ‘We’re going to personalize’ move-over law with faces of fallen tow truck drivers

 

HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) — Was part of the answer to distracted driving — and preventing the deaths of tow truck drivers — as simple as letting tow trucks use blue lights rather than yellow ones?

 

No one knows for sure, because the change is too recent for large amounts of data to exist.

 

“I do see that the lights [are] working a little bit because there’s a lot more people slowing down and moving over on the interstate now than what they used to,” said David Duchnik Sr., whose son — David Duchnik Jr., working alongside him on a highway — died after a tractor-trailer struck him.

 

The idea behind the blue lights?

 

“Wherever states had blue lights on the back of trucks, people pay attention,” said Sen. Doug Mastriano (R-Franklin & Adams), who sponsored the law, which former Governor Tom Wolf (D) signed into law in 2022. “They think it’s law enforcement, not a tow truck operator. And so distracted drivers are less distracted when they see the blue lights.”

 

Mastriano, who spoke Monday outside the state capitol, said now he’s working on a bill to add pictures of fallen tow truck drivers and other first responders to roadside signs warning drivers to slow down and move over.

 

Until then?

 

“You see lights — whether they’re orange, yellow or blue — slow the heck down and move over,” Mastriano said.

 

Duchnik Sr. and his wife Michele spoke. So did Debra Laudenslager, whose 29-year-old son Tyler also died while helping a driver.

 

RESOURCE LINK

[EdsTowing]

Very nice dedication...