A local tow truck driver is asking people to slow down when passing road side assistance operators.

One road side assistant is killed every 6 days in North America, with 239 hurt in Alberta between 2004 and 2013, and another 15 killed.

Wayne Popow says motorists may slow down for an RCMP member pulled over to the side with lights and sirens on, but they don't receive the same treatment "they really don't look at us as the same service, they figure we are just an inconvenience more than anything else.  We've all been on calls in the towing profession where we've sat beside the RCMP Officer and watched their radar hit 110-120 km/h in that lane".

Popow says his father was hit last year and still sometimes has problems attending scenes, while it took him about 4 days himself to muster up the courage to go back to work.

He says many people may not understand how scary it can be on the shoulder, either as a tow truck operator, or stranded driver and that could be why they speed past them "probably the best thing is just give us room to work, give us the respect, we do have families and loved ones back home we would love to see that night and especially during Christmas and the holidays.  If you really want to think of it, put yourselves on the side of the highway in our position".

"Just have the patience and let us do our job safely so we can all go home to our families".