ALDOT / “Crash Responder Safety Week” is November 8th – 14th

Managing the Crash: Emergency Responders and Motorists Work Together

 Crash Responder Safety Week, Nov. 8 – 14

 

(Montgomery, Ala.­) – National Crash Responder Safety Week is November 8 -14, and the Alabama Department of Transportation is working with other emergency responders to increase safety and efficiency when clearing highway incidents.

It is estimated that the likelihood of a secondary incident increases 2.8 percent for every minute that the primary incident continues. Often, the secondary incident is more severe.

Responders in Alabama can sign up at www.AlabamaTim.org now for traffic incident management workshops available across the state.  These workshops bring together law enforcement, fire fighters, towing services, medical personnel and state and local departments of transportation to learn ways to work together to mitigate incidents.

Motorists are also encouraged to understand the roles they play when incidents happen along the roadway. First, move vehicles off the road if nobody is injured. Second, stay alert near crash sites, and move over when passing an incident to provide a protective barrier for responders. Alabama’s Move Over Law requires drivers to mover over a lane when approaching ALDOT vehicles, law enforcement vehicles, tow trucks and any other emergency vehicle with lights flashing.

“Some drivers believe they should wait until the police arrive and make a crash report before moving their vehicle, but this is not true and actually puts them, their vehicle and other people’s lives at risk,” said Allison Green, Drive Safe Alabama coordinator, ALDOT. “Traffic Incident Management responders are often the heroes of our highways, saving lives every day. But everyone has a role in making traffic incident management work,” Green said.

As part of its traffic incident management program, ALDOT provides the Alabama Service and Assistance Patrol (ASAP) service. ASAP improves highway safety and minimizes traffic congestion by assisting stranded motorists and providing special equipment to clear and protect incident scenes. ASAP drivers work along heavily-traveled segments of the interstates near Birmingham, Mobile, Tuscaloosa, Huntsville and Montgomery. For more information about ASAP and the coverage map for ASAP services, please visit https://www.dot.state.al.us/programs/ASAP.html  

For more information on Traffic Incident Response Awareness Week, please visit the national website at https://transportationops.org/TIM/CRSW.

About the Alabama Department of Transportation

ALDOT’s mission is to provide a safe, efficient, environmentally and economically sound transportation network across Alabama. For further information, visit www.dot.state.al.us

About Drive Safe Alabama

Drive Safe Alabama is ALDOT’s traffic safety marketing campaign. The goal of Drive Safe Alabama is to strengthen Alabama’s highway safety culture. By providing safe driving information through online resources and educational opportunities, ALDOT aims to reduce crash-related injuries and fatalities on Alabama’s roadways. Learn more at DriveSafeAlabama.org.

 

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