The officer was uninjured; the driver was ticketed.
A Saskatchewan RCMP officer was nearly struck by a semi‑truck on Highway 1 after the truck collided with the officer’s parked police vehicle during a traffic stop west of Regina.
Police say the incident happened around 3:45 p.m. on February 28 in the eastbound lane near Grand Coulee. The officer had just finished a traffic stop and was walking back to his cruiser when he saw a semi approaching at highway speed without moving into the passing lane. The officer ran toward the ditch, reaching it at nearly the same moment the semi hit the police vehicle.
The cruiser was heavily damaged. The officer, who was in full uniform with emergency lights activated, was not injured.
RCMP say the semi driver stopped and remained at the scene. No injuries were reported. The driver received two tickets: one for driving without due care and attention and one for driving without reasonable consideration for others.
S/Sgt. Jason Sauve of RCMP Traffic Services said the outcome could have been “far more tragic” had the timing been different. He urged motorists to slow to 60 km/h when passing emergency vehicles with lights activated and to move into the passing lane whenever possible.
“Had this incident happened only moments earlier, the outcome could have been far more tragic, which is a terrifying thought,” says S/Sgt. Jason Sauve, a police officer with Saskatchewan RCMP Traffic Services. “It is crucial that drivers remember to slow down to 60 km/hr when passing emergency vehicles that have their lights activated, such as EMS, fire, and police vehicles, as well as tow trucks, and highway workers. Whenever possible, move into the passing lane to give first responders as much room as you can to do their work safely. Remember that abiding by these laws and guidelines may be the difference in whether or not a first responder makes it home to their family at the end of their shift.”
