News release
BC Highway Patrol releases video of dramatic consequences when a tractor trailer driver did not “Slow Down and Move Over”
April 20, 2026
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Field, British Columbia
From: BC Highway Patrol
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An Alberta man has been sentenced for dangerous driving after running over a tow truck and a Mercedes in his tractor trailer- in spite of activated and flashing lights on the tow truck.
Police are releasing dash-camera video from the tractor-trailer, the tow truck and the police cruiser to illustrate the consequences when drivers do not “Slow Down and Move Over” in the presence of flashing amber, or blue and red lights.
On December 8, 2023, a BC Highway Patrol officer was working with a tow truck operator to impound a Mercedes for excessive speeding on Highway #1, just west of Field, in Yoho National Park. The tow truck had its flashing amber lights activated to warn drivers to Slow Down and Move Over.
Just after 9:30 p.m., 38-year-old Dalvir Singh Jhattu ignored the flashing lights and drove his eastbound tractor trailer straight up the back of the tow truck, destroying the tow truck, the tractor trailer, and the Mercedes.
“Luckily the tow truck operator, the police officer, and the Mercedes driver were safely off to the side of the road, or they would certainly have been killed,” says Corporal Michael McLaughlin with BC Highway Patrol. “The tractor-trailer driver could easily have died as his truck rolled over and he became trapped.”
The Slow Down Move Over law is meant to avoid this situation. When flashing amber or red/blue lights are present, the law requires:
- All drivers to slow down to under 70 km/h when the speed limit is over 80 km/h,
- Drivers move to the farthest safe and legal driving lane away from the flashing lights and emergency responders.
As a result of the crash, Jhattu was found guilty of dangerous driving, section 320.13(1) of the Criminal Code. On April 8, 2026, he was sentenced to the following:
- A six-month conditional sentence order,
- 90 days of house arrest,
- A 12-month Canada-wide driving ban,
- Conditions that include no possession or consumption of alcohol, drugs or intoxicating substances.
“Normal speed limits exist for ideal conditions,” says Corporal McLaughlin. “When road workers or emergency responders are at the side of the road, you are legally required to slow down even more.”
Transcript
Video description:
Tractor trailer dash camera
A tractor trailer is driving at night when it crashes into the rear of a tow truck on the side of a highway while the tow truck has its amber lights flashing [no audio]
Tow truck dash camera
A split screen shows a rear view of the interior and a front-facing camera on the tow truck. The tractor trailer collides with the rear of the tow truck and destroys its interior [sound of a crash]
Police cruiser dash camera
A police cruiser is behind the tow truck and has its emergency lights flashing in the immediate aftermath of the collision. The cruiser drives closer to the collision and parks behind the ruined tow truck. A BC Highway Patrol RCMP officer gets out of the cruiser and directs the tow truck driver and a civilian driver to be safe as they walk around the crash scene. The RCMP officer then runs to the tractor trailer to rescue the driver of the tractor trailer while the tow truck driver gets a fire extinguisher and helps.
RCMP officer: 10-10, semi-truck hit tow truck. Operator and impounded driver are OK. Semi-truck launched in the air. I’m going to need ambulance and extra members.
RCMP dispatcher: 10-4
[door closing]
RCMP officer: OK, no one got hit on your guys’ side?
Tow driver: Hey man, that was close [unintelligible]
RCMP officer: Yeah, you’re doing right fine? [unintelligible] You’re doing great. Dispatch, Tango 3, just updating, three lanes highway completely shut down. We’re just going to go check on the status of the semi driver.
Tow driver: We got a lot of smoke
RCMP officer: I got smoke, no fire.
RCMP officer: Hello, RCMP, can you hear me? Hey, how many people? Are you OK? Are you bleeding at all? Dispatch, Tango 3, update. One driver, I’m speaking with him he says he’s OK, he says he’s not bleeding, but he’s entrapped. Yeah, that’s where we’re at.
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Contacts
Media Relations Officer
BC Highway Patrol
bchp_media@rcmp-grc.gc.ca
778-290-5844