Annual safety ride honors 24-year-old victim
Wrecker operator Austin Gayne is proof that for drivers, a temporary moment of distraction can have permanent consequences.
File photo
The fourth annual “Slow Down Move Over” awareness ride will take place Sunday, Feb. 22 in Canton, continuing a local effort to remind drivers to reduce speed and change lanes for stopped emergency and roadside vehicles.
“The ‘Slow Down Move Over’ law is essential to the safety of those who work along our highways,” said Haywood Sheriff Bill Wilke. “Our office is committed to the safety of everyone on and along our highways, including law enforcement, fire, emergency medical services and tow truck services personnel.”
Participants will gather at 305 Silkwood Drive, accessing the International Paper Sports Complex field from Beaverdam Road. Vehicles will line up at 5 p.m., with the procession scheduled to pull out at 6 p.m.
The ride honors Austin Gayne, a Haywood Community College graduate and wrecker driver who was struck while assisting on a roadside call in Florida in 2021. Feb. 26 marks five years since his death.
Since then, his mother, Haywood resident Brooke Lawrence, has worked to raise awareness about North Carolina’s "Slow Down Move Over" law and the dangers roadside workers face from inattentive drivers.
Previous events have drawn towing companies, first responders and community members who line highways with flashing lights to underscore the message — a temporary moment of distraction can have permanent consequences.
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“I would ask our fellow drivers to constantly pay attention while behind the wheel — watch for those along the roadside and give them the space they need to go home safely at the end of their shift,” Wilke said.
Organizers are encouraging the public to attend and show support for towing operators, law enforcement, emergency personnel and others who work along the roadside. The annual ride serves both as a memorial and as a public safety reminder aimed at preventing similar tragedies.
Gayne, just 24 when he was killed, left behind a girlfriend and three children.
