On average, 24 first responders lose their lives each year on America's roads, and one in four of those are tow truck operators.
"I've always said to myself, 'someday, I want to be part of a procession convoy,' but at the same time, do you really ever want to be part of this procession?" said Joe Britton, a tow truck driver.
On Thursday, more than 100 flatbeds and wreckers lined up in a Syracuse city parking lot. Among the drivers was Britton.
"A fellow tow driver and good friend of mine, Irael Martinez, a driver didn't move over or slow down, and he made the ultimate sacrifice," Britton said.
Many in the towing community across the Empire State are mourning Martinez's passing. It hit Britton harder than most.
"It's been a tough thing, honestly, you know? From the moment I heard about, I don't know, about one o'clock on the 24th of February. You know, without knowing who was in the accident, I knew who was in the accident," Britton said. "Just from him not responding to my phone calls."
Sometimes competing to get to a scene, other times responding to mutual aid, when the calls wouldn't go through, Britton sent messages of hope.
"'We need you out here. You're a true friend.' Four days later, I texted him again. 'We love you, brother. Keep fighting for us.' Without getting responses. That was tough, you know?" he said.
Martinez passed away, and while the immediate services were reserved and quiet, the trucking community came out for a celebration of life, where they advocated for safety.
"They're a Cuban American family," Britton said. "So their traditions of, you know, funeral processes may not be the same as most American funeral processes. Traditionally, a tow operated that's killed in line of duty, how we would show our respect to the family and to the deceased, even if this just makes one person safe, just one person, it's worth all of it."
For Britton and many others, one fellow operator down isn't acceptable. They want more to be done.
"There has not been a great amount of education from the top leadership in the state, emphasis on making sure that the public is aware of this law," Britton said. "I want them to know what the cause and effect is of not obeying the law."
Because this Central New York community will never forget Martinez, like so many others will have to be honored after the call.
Britton continued, "It's not just for you guys to know that there's a law that's called Slow Down, Move Over. It's for us to be able to go home at night, to see our families, to have dinner, you know, and to be able to go back out the next day and respond to these emergency calls."