Tow truck driver struck and killed on Highway 401 near Drumbo, Ont.

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Kitchener tow truck driver killed on Highway 401

Fatal crash on Hwy 401 near Drumbo

A tow truck operator from Kitchener, Ont. was killed on Highway 401 Wednesday morning and police are still looking for the hit-and-run driver.

Ontario Provincial Police said the 42-year-old man was helping a stranded motorist, near Oxford Road 3, when he was hit by a passing vehicle around 7:18 a.m.

The man was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police released an image of a transport truck which was believed to be involved in the collision.

“A vehicle of interest has been identified, and the Oxford OPP are seeking the public’s assistance with identifying the vehicle and its occupant(s),” they said in a media release. “The vehicle is described as a commercial motor vehicle, with a blue-colored tractor and trailer, with a black tarp on top.”

Investigators still want to speak to witnesses.

“[Maybe] you saw the collision or what occurred afterwards, or even before. We urge you to contact the Oxford [County] OPP,” said Const. Matthew Foster.

In Ontario, motorists must, by law, slow down when passing a tow truck with flashing amber lights and move over if they can do so safely.

“Please give them ample space so that they can assist whoever they’re assisting,” Foster said.

According to Parachute, Canada’s national charity dedicated to injury prevention, slowing down even a little can make a major difference.

“If a person is hit by a car that’s going 80 km/h, which is pretty slow for a highway, they have a 90 per cent chance of being killed in that collision,” explained Stephanie Cowle, the organization’s director of knowledge translation. “Whereas, even slowing down to 60 km/h can reduce that death risk to 50 per cent.”

“Unfortunately, this is a devastating reality of why the Slow Down and Move Over law exists,” Foster said. “The Slow Down and Move Over law is not one or the other. It’s both.”

Highway 401’s westbound lanes were closed for the investigation between Cedar Creek Road and Oxford Road 29, bringing traffic to a crawl on the highway. The 401 reopened around 1 p.m.