This week, Arizona serves as a harsh reminder of the inherent risks that crash responders face on its highways, effectively issuing a call to public alertness. During National Crash Responder Safety Week, a group of traffic safety stakeholders lead the outreach, with the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) and partner organizations like the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety (GOHS) and the Arizona Department of Public Safety (AZDPS) taking the lead. The message is straightforward: “Ahead of you are the first responders! As you continue, slow down,” according to ADOT.
Understanding the seriousness of the situation, ADOT Director Jennifer Toth emphasizes in a statement obtained by ADOT the life-saving efforts of first responders and their need for space to ensure public safety when helping at crash scenes. Drivers would be wise to stay vigilant and slow down when approaching these individuals who have already put themselves in danger. In an interview with ADOT, Arizona Department of Public Safety Director Colonel Jeffrey Glover also repeated these views, characterizing collision scenes as dangerous areas of the road where both the crash and oncoming traffic must be controlled.
The organizations have stepped up their efforts to promote safety after a startling statistic revealed that since 2020, there have been at least 283 potential crashes involving first responders or their cars on Arizona highways. In order to ensure that traffic may continue to flow even in the event of a crash, ADOT, with support from sponsors such as GEICO, deploys its Incident Response Unit to establish traffic control and provide the required assistance. One tow operator is killed in the US around every six days, so ADOT says the call for drivers to abide by the “Move Over” legislation is not without justification.
In order to protect road workers from the dangers of distracted or intoxicated driving, the “Move Over” law requires drivers to either move out of the lane closest to the flashing lights of stationary emergency vehicles or to slow down when they are unable to change lanes safely. Angela Roper, executive director of the Arizona Professional Towing & Recovery Association, urged the public to follow these laws. Similar to this, AZDPS Director Colonel Jeffrey Glover promotes public cooperation, highlighting the benefit it provides to both individuals in need and the courageous responders on the scene. Unfortunately, this promotion was tainted by the conversation’s rambling style, in which several interconnected cautions were made without the necessary punctuation to guarantee clarity.
ADHS Director Jennie Cunico reiterates the value of public cooperation, pointing out that EMS personnel face danger in every life they attempt to save and that drivers must remain aware of their surroundings to safeguard these responders while they are performing their duties. According to the ADOT participation guidelines, the strategy also involves educating drivers about the “quick clearance” law, which promotes the safety of all road users by encouraging those involved in a minor collision to move to the shoulder if at all possible. This opens up traffic lanes and lowers the likelihood of additional incidents.
In an effort to improve statewide traffic safety, ADOT’s most recent public announcement highlights a number of actions that drivers should take if they are involved in an accident: evaluate their health, move operational vehicles out of traffic lanes, call emergency services, remain alert for oncoming traffic, and stay on the scene.
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