Every minute of every day, firefighters, emergency medical service, law enforcement, towing and recovery, public works, safety service patrol, and other transportation professionals work tirelessly to clear roadway crashes, debris, and stalled vehicles. These responders also bring life-saving care to those injured. Tragically, hundreds of responders across our nation have been killed while assisting road users in need, and many more have endured life-altering injuries simply because a driver did not slow down or move over when approaching the incident scene.
This November 18-22, 2024 we stand in solidarity with our traffic incident responders. We are committed to focusing attention on the small, simple actions each of us can take to keep our emergency responders and all road users safe. In observance of Crash Responder Safety Week, all road users should remember that by reducing your speed as you proceed past responders working roadside, you dramatically reduce the risk of death in the event of a secondary crash.
Sadly, a few days ago, a Road Ranger in St. Lucie county lost his life while assisting a motorist on I-95. It is a heartbreaking story. https://cbs12.com/news/local/road-ranger-killed-on-i-95-while-assisting-motorist-in-st-lucie-county-fhp-crash-deadly-florida-highway-patrol-road-ranger-dodge-charger-florida-port-st-lucie-november-12-2024
This Crash Responder Safety Week, we call 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 Florida’s Move Over law https://www.flhsmv.gov/safety-center/driving-safety/move-over/
We owe our gratitude to our nation’s traffic incident responders who put themselves in harm’s way to keep all road users safe. And we remind every road user, Responders Ahead! Move Over! Reduce Your Speed as You Proceed!
