CONNECTICUT DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION NEWS RELEASE 2800 BERLIN TURNPIKE P.O. BOX 317546 NEWINGTON CONNECTICUT, 06131-7546

FOR RELEASE: November 13, 2017

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS TELEPHONE: (860) 594-3062 FAX: (860) 594-3065 WEB SITE: www.ct.gov/dot

---

HARTFORD, CT -   National Traffic Incident Response Week is November 13 -19, 2017 to raise public awareness to the dangers responders face when reacting to a traffic incident.   Nationally, every year hundreds of responders experience close calls, or are struck and either injured or killed on our highways. 

What is a traffic incident?  Depending on your role in transportation safety, a traffic incident can mean many things.  However, as a motorist, an incident often refers to crashes, disabled vehicles, spilled cargo, car fires or special events that affect your daily travel. 

Incident responders wear many hats, and are handling incidents every day on the roadways and in communities across the State.  They are firefighters, law enforcement, safety service patrols and personnel from emergency medical services, towing and recovery, emergency management and transportation.  They work together using the training and procedures developed within a strong Traffic Incident Management (TIM) program. 

The Capitol Region Council of Governments (CRCOG) is committed to working in partnership with the Connecticut Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration to continue working with public and private sector partners to address traffic incident safety, operations, and training. 

“Getting the right equipment to the right location faster, protects responders’ and motorists' lives.  It’s important that we restore traffic lanes as quickly as possible to minimize delays, and secondary crashes.  CRCOG fully supports the awareness campaign and has helped address issues related to traffic incidents in the Capitol Region since 1998” stated Lyle Wray, Executive Director for CRCOG.

“Our highway operations centers, service patrols and maintenance personnel in the Department of Transportation are valuable resources to responders.  Our men and women along with incident responders are exposed to traffic hazards each and every day and it is important that motorists are part of the safety equation.  Raising public awareness and working with all stakeholders including the motorists goes a long way in saving lives and making our roads safe and efficient for all” commented Department of Transportation Commissioner James Redeker.
 
The response of a driver is just as important as the response of the person towing a vehicle, rescuing the trapped, healing the injured, and investigating a crash scene.  Drivers need to understand that they are also at risk of injury or death in and around these scenes and are reminded that….

YOUR RESPONSE IS AS IMPORTANT AS OUR RESPONSE:

• SLOW DOWN AND MOVE OVER when passing by a traffic incident to provide a protective buffer for you, for emergency responders, and the motorists behind you.

• IF YOU CAN STEER IT, CLEAR IT.  If (and only if) your car is drivable and there are no injuries, you should move your car to the shoulder or nearby safe place off of the road.

• SIGNALS? USE THEM…SEAT BELTS? WEAR THEM… SIGNS? OBEY THEM

• REMOVE DISTRACTIONS…HANDS ON THE WHEEL - EYES ON THE ROAD

For more information, contact CRCOG using the contact details below.
Contact:
Terri Thompson
Principal Transportation Planner
Capitol Region Council of Governments
tthompson@crcog.org
Phone: (860) 724-4242
www.crcog.org