by Mindy Cohn

This week, from November 13-17, is Crash Responder Safety Week, an initiative sponsored by the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration. 

The initiative is designed to raise public awareness and to help keep firefighters, paramedics, other first responders, drivers, and passengers safe. 

New York State Police have joined other police agencies and first responders across New York and the entire United States in reminding motorists to help protect those who protect you during the national transportation week-long safety event. 

Crash Responder Safety Week promotes “Slow Down, Move Over” law awareness for drivers and free traffic incident management (TIM) training for first responders.  On any given day, approximately 50,000 first responders provide roadside assistance to those in need. During Crash Responder Safety Week, and every day, drivers should keep them safe by slowing down and moving over when approaching a roadway incident.

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration reports that distracted driving is six times more dangerous than driving under the influence. And while the public has been urged time and time again to use extreme caution while driving near traffic accidents, too often, the work of first responders on the open road leads to tragedy, claiming the life of nearly one first responder each week in the United States while many other first responders are injured while responding to traffic accidents.