Every year, law enforcement, fire and rescue, EMS, public works, transportation, towing and recovery, and other responders put their lives at risk to clear the 7 million motor vehicle crashes as well as the broader range of roadway incidents such as stalled vehicles or roadway debris. Responders are the first on the scene, protecting every road user, and they deserve to be the first on drivers’ minds to be kept safe.
In an effort to help raise awareness about the dangers emergency responders face while on-scene at traffic incidents, November 17-21, 2025, has been designated as Crash Responder Safety Week. This year’s theme is Safety Starts With You; Slow Down & Move Over. The goal of this week is to reach out to every responder, and to every driver, and to every passenger, to make it clearer that every person has a role to play. Too many are struck on scene. Too many die. In observance of Crash Responder Safety Week, the Florida Department of Transportation reminds all road users that by reducing your speed as you pass by responders working roadside, you dramatically reduce the risk of death by a secondary crash.
This Crash Responder Safety Week, FDOT calls on every road user to:
- Reduce your speed as you proceed along a traffic incident and if feasible, move over a lane, providing a protective buffer between you and responders working roadside.
- Learn about our State’s Slow Down, Move Over law at https://www.flhsmv.gov/safety-center/driving-safety/move-over/
