A scary night for two roadside workers, who CAA Manitoba says narrowly avoided disaster from passing vehicles.

Liz Kulyk says there were two separate incidents in Winnipeg about 30 minutes apart yesterday.

"The first one was a CAA driver (who) was assisting a member on Inkster Boulevard and a delivery truck passed him so fast that he literally had to jump into the snowbank to avoid being hit by that truck. The second incident happened just a little while later, one of our contractors was helping somebody on a side street in St. James, and a truck went by him so fast and so close that his sideview mirror actually made contact with our (contractor's) arm."

CAA Manitoba says the drivers are unhurt but understandably shaken up. Kulyk says the incidents illustrate to CAA that people aren't getting the message about what they're supposed to do when passing roadside emergency vehicles and personnel.

With the blowing snow today, drivers are reminded it's not only a good idea to move over and slow down when passing roadside emergency vehicles, it's the law. Under the Highway Traffic Act, motorists are required, when possible, to give one lane space to a tow truck with flashing lights. Drivers must also slow down to 60 kilometres an hour where the posted speed limit is 80 km/hr or higher, or 40 km/hr if the speed limit is less than 80.