Crash Responder Safety Week, Nov. 18-22, highlights the critical need for drivers to slow down, move over and protect first responders working in hazardous roadside situations. Police1’s coverage provides strategies, essential tools and expert insights focused on law enforcement safety and public awareness.
Eradicating dangers and deaths on highways may seem like an impossible challenge, but the right data and analytics can help law enforcement agencies and states work together to achieve it
SLOW DOWN, MOVE OVER
As law enforcement officers continue to be killed on our nation’s roadways, we must continue to message about the importance of “Move Over” laws
How a Texas department enhanced officer traffic safety and accountability after two of its officers were struck and killed by passing vehicles
A reporter being hit by a vehicle during a live news report highlighted the danger of working near roadway incidents – a danger that proved fatal for two LEOs this past week
Virginia patrol officer’s dashcam video is another reminder that traffic stops can go from routine to life-threatening in the blink of an eye
When you hit the lights and pull over what can only be described as a heavily fortified defensive position on wheels, don’t just approach blind
The passenger side contact remains an essential strategy for officer safety, but recognizing its limitations can enhance the odds in the officer’s favor
OFFICER SAFETY MUST-KNOWS
Fifty years ago I was taught that the right-side approach on a traffic stop is the safest – and that message is just as relevant for recruits today
These programs help to reduce traffic congestion as a result of collisions, while increasing officer safety on the roadways
LEOs rank among the highest number of “struck-by” fatalities of any responders. Could helmets be one answer to this safety crisis?
The data speaks for itself
At high-risk roadway incidents, reduce your risk by maximizing time, distance and shielding
A simple shift in mindset to help officers avoid and survive while working a highway crash
Combine hazmat principles with high-visibility vests, traffic cones, scene lighting and personal lighting devices to reduce MVC scene risks
IN THE NEWS
Columbus Police Department officers were dispatched to 107 accidents without injuries and nine accidents with injuries in that time frame, accordsing to department data
The trooper sustained minor injuries after jumping out of the way of the approaching vehicle
Officers tried to get into the vehicle to save the driver, but, “due to the intensity of the flames and heat, they were unable to rescue the occupant,” the Torrance PD stated
The deputies were at the scene of a major accident in a marked squad car with emergency lights on when a driver, now charged with DUI, crashed into the back of the cruiser
The driver was fatally shot when he was seen reaching for what Tampa, Fla. officers believed was a weapon after a pursuit; three officers were injured during the incident
“Fatigue physically and mentally impacts the abilities of a driver — it has effects on a driver’s...coordination and reaction time,” Colorado State Patrol Col. Matthew Packard said
Two Memphis Police officers were investigating a hit-and-run crash when another car struck them; they were taken to the hospital in non-critical condition
Michigan State Police troopers can be seen running and climbing over a highway barrier after seeing that the truck was not going to move over
Riverside County Deputy Timothy Corlew, assigned to the Jurupa Valley station, was riding in the left lane of the freeway when his motorcycle collided with another car
The report states that 147 officers lost their lives while serving in 2024, up from 118 in 2023; traffic-related fatalities saw the largest increase, rising by 48%