VDOT News - Statewide

RICHMOND, Va. – The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) is recognizing National Traffic Incident Management Awareness Week, Nov. 9-15, and asks motorists to do their part to keep highway workers and emergency responders safe: move over when amber, blue and red lights are flashing. 

Incident responders partner using well-rehearsed procedures to clear incidents quickly, to keep motorists and other responders safe. Incident management partners include responders including emergency medical services (EMS), law enforcement, firefighters, towing and recovery and safety service patrols who provide emergency temporary traffic control at incident scenes. Incidents can be crashes, disabled vehicles or other incidents that impact the flow of traffic on a roadway.  

“Each day our incident responders put their own safety at risk to support those impacted by incidents, aiding those involved and reducing traffic impacts,” said VDOT Chief of Operations and Maintenance Kevin Gregg. “This week and throughout the year, we aim to strengthen awareness of these heroes and do our best to ensure they return home safely to their families each day.”  

Be a safe driver, for the safety of all. Move over: to ensure the safety of responders, motorists should slow down and move over when passing by an incident scene to provide a protective buffer for responders. Always: 

• Buckle up
• Obey speed limits
• Drive alcohol- and drug-free
• Share the road
• Avoid distractions
• Don’t text and drive

National Traffic Incident Management Awareness Week is led by the Federal Highway Administration’s Traffic Incident Management program and is joined by a variety of partners representing every type of response discipline to call special attention to public safety. The goal of National Traffic Incident Response Awareness Week is, for the fourth year, to ensure individuals know the role they play in the safety of those supporting incident management.

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