The Maine Department of Public Safety is using “Crash Responder Safety Week,” Nov. 14-18, as a reminder to all drivers, to slow down and move over.
Lauren Stewart, Director of the Maine Bureau of Highway Safety, says:
It’s more than just the law, it is also common sense and courtesy to help ensure our first responders are safe to perform their jobs on our roads and highways.
Raising awareness during this safety week affords a unique opportunity to make a difference individually and jointly for roadway safety during traffic incidents. Traffic Incident Management (TIM) specialists across the nation come together this week by teaching the motoring public about their common goal and responsibility for safe, quick roadway clearance.
Maine State Police Lt. Colonel Brian Scott says:
Police officers, emergency medical service providers, firefighters, tow truck operators and highway workers are struck and killed or seriously injured as they work on our roadways. They also face far too many close calls on the highways just trying to keep our roads safe for others. They should not have to pay with their lives for the deadly mistakes made by careless drivers. Please follow the law, move over or slow down and give these essential workers room to work.
Each time a police officer is pulled onto the shoulder or out of their car on or near the roadway, they risk being struck by a passing driver. Crashes involving motor vehicles are the number one killer of police officers on state roads and highways. The same is true for all TIM first responders, including fire, EMS, and tow truck operators when they are working at the scene of a crash or emergency on the side of the roadway.
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