January 2012 has proven to be one of the most dangerous and deadly months for tow truck drivers.

On Jan. 2, 46-year-old Joseph Ricciardelli, an employee of Emerald Towing in Boynton Beach, FL, died after being struck on the side of the highway. (click for full story)

On Jan. 4, 23-year-old Andrew Smith, was killed just after midnight after being hit by a tractor trailer on the side of the road. Smith worked for HJ Towing & Recovery of Landisburg, PA. (click for full story)

Also on Jan. 4, Austin Pruitt of Southside Towing of Utica, NY was struck and injured as he worked on the side of the road. (click for full story)

On Jan. 5, 30-year-old Evan Kavanaugh, an employee of Wiltse's Towing of Salem, OR, was struck and pinned as he working to tow a vehicle from the roadside. (click for full story)

On Jan. 9, 47-year-old Eduardo Roque, an auto repair and towing business owner in Raleigh, NC, was struck on the side of the interstate. Roque was hospitalized in critical condition and one of his leg had to be amputated. (click for full story)

On Jan. 15, 51-year-old Martin Butthof, an employee of Rusty's Towing of Richmond, British Columbia, was struck and pinned against his tow truck as he worked on the roadside. One of his legs was severed and the other was broken in at least seven places. (click for full story)

On Jan. 17, 49-year-old Paul Rocheleau of Windsor, Ontario, died after being struck on the side of the highway. Rocheleau worked for Sandwich West Towing. (click for full story)

In one weekend, two WI tow truck drivers came close to losing their lives on the same stretch of icy road. On Jan. 20, a tow truck driver from Bossert Auto Body in narrowly escaped death by throwing himself out of his flatbed tow truck just before a jackknifed semi crushed the truck. On Jan. 21, a tow truck driver for Greenwood Auto was hit by his own truck and thrown into a ditch after a semi slammed into his tow truck.

Here's the video news report from NBC15.com