Move for Safety
November 8, 2012
Moving away from traffic lanes after a fender-bender is safer than staying put.
Drivers who stay with their car are creating a risky environment for themselves, for state troopers who respond to the scene and for other motorists. A crash scene creates a distraction that prompts other drivers slow to take a look or change lanes abruptly. That unpredictable driver behavior cause a traffic flow environment where secondary crashes can occur more easily.
“When people get into a minor crash, they need to call 911 and go to the nearest exit,” says UDOT spokesperson Tania Mashburn. “But moving after a crash is not something drivers may be used to doing.”
UDOT, in partnership with the Utah Department of Public Safety, will met with media to help spread the word that moving is safer than waiting for troopers on the side of the freeway. And, UDOT will be on hand to help motorists as well.
Incident Management Trucks have been employed for years to help clear crashes quickly. Now, some of those trucks will have special equipment to move cars.
The new equipment is installed under the truck so there’s no trailer to make maneuvering through traffic complicated. The equipment deploys quickly and easily so IMT workers can get disabled cars to the nearest ramp or the safest place to wait for help.
UDOT is committed to safety first in the case of a crash. The new equipment on Incident Management Trucks will help motorists involved in fender-benders move off the freeway and preserve the safety of troopers and the traveling public.