Nevada public safety providers remind motorists to move over for emergency responders
Submitted by Jeff Munson on Sun, 11/07/2021 - 1:55pm
CARSON CITY — The Nevada Department of Transportation and Nevada Department of Public Safety, Highway Patrol are reminding motorists to drive attentively, slow down and move over for traffic response vehicles during national Crash Responder Safety Week, held Nov. 8-14.
There are approximately 50,000 reported crashes on Nevada roads every year. Traffic incidents are the primary cause of death for police officers and emergency medical responders nationwide.
To help keep drivers, incident victims and first responders safe, Nevada traffic incident response partners remind motorists that Nevada law has long required drivers to slow down, proceed with caution, and if possible, move to the far lane when passing a vehicle(s) pulled over on the side of the road with lights on.
Since 2017, an updated law requires drivers to do the same for NDOT and other road work vehicles with flashing amber or non-flashing blue lights on.
Nevada law also requires drivers involved in minor, non-injury fender benders to safely move their vehicle out of the travel lanes when possible, helping reduce the chance of secondary crashes for themselves and other drivers.
“When you see flashing lights on our roadways, please slow down and move over,” Nevada Department of Public Safety Highway Patrol Colonel Anne Carpenter said. “Remember that first responders, NDOT workers, tow truck drivers, and motorists with their hazards on, are all people who have loved ones who want to see them make it home safely. Be alert, be aware and slow down — lives are on the line, and it might be your loved one who needs that courtesy one day. We are all in this together.”
National statistics show that for every minute a freeway lane is blocked, the resulting traffic congestion takes four minutes to clear, and the chance of more severe secondary crash increases. The Nevada Departments of Transportation and Public Safety, local law enforcement, fire departments, public works, emergency medical responders, federal highway, homeland security and transit administrations as well as private towing and hazardous materials responders train together, joining forces across the state in regional traffic incident management (TIM) coalitions to improve road incident response and roadway safety while reducing travel delays. Since Nevada’s first TIM Coalition was founded in southern Nevada in 2008, coalitions statewide have trained 65 percent of all incident responders to implement consistent, safe, quick clearance of traffic incidents.
The collaborative, multiagency training help incident responders throughout the state seamlessly work together. More information is available at www.NVtim.com.
Driving Safety Tips
— Keep your car in good condition, including routine maintenance and checks.
— Always buckle up. Never drive impaired or while sleepy or distracted.
— Drive attentively, not aggressively. Continually scan the road ahead of you to be prepared.
— Do not speed. Space your vehicle far enough from other cars so you have time to avoid potential crashes.
Keep updated on current state road conditions by logging onto nvroads.com or dialing 511 before driving.
