PENNSYLVANIA TRAFFIC INCIDENT MANAGEMENT ENHANCEMENT (PENNTIME)
From the April 2021 edition of BOROUGH NEWS
Each day, tow truck operators, firefighters, EMS workers, police officers, fire police and others respond on Pennsylvania’s roadways to assist others.
These emergency responders face danger while working at emergency scenes from what are known as “D” driers… drivers that are Drunk, Drugged, Drowsy, Distracted or Dangerous.
ON AVERAGE IN PENNSYLVANIA:
- Each day 352 reportable traffic crashes occur (about 15 crashes every hour).
- Each day 3 persons are fatally injured in reportable traffic crashes (one fatality every 7 hours).
- Each day 214 persons are injured in reportable crashes (about 9 injuries every hour).
In addition to traffic crashes, emergency responders are exposed to traffic while assisting with disabled vehicles, removing roadway obstructions, and enforcing traffic violates which puts thousands of them at risk each day.
151 Pennsylvania emergency responders have been struck and killed while assisting others on Pennsylvania roadways. This number does not include the 100 PennDOT and Turnpike workers who have also been struck & killed while on duty.
On average in the United States, 2 emergency workers are struck daily while working along the roadway. These responder struck- by incidents cause property damage, injuries and in some cases fatalities.
In 2019, 44 emergency responders were struck & killed in the United States (18 Law enforcement officers, 14 Tow truck operators, and 9 Fire/EMS personnel). This includes two Pennsylvania emergency responders.
In 2020, 46 emergency responders were struck & killed in the United States (17 Law enforcement officers, 20 Tow
truck operators, 1 Mobile mechanic, 5 Fire/EMS Personnel and 3 Safety-Service Patrol Operators).
So far in 2021, 5 emergency responders have been struck & killed in the United States (4 Law enforcement officers, 1 Tow truck operator.
We need your support to help get the Move Over message out to keep our emergency responders safe!
Slow down/move over for emergency responders and save their lives.
