It takes a brave person to do what they do: Move over for highway workers, law enforcement and emergency responders

By Ashley Tammen, 

North Central Kansas Public Affairs Manager

Earlier this week I had the privilege of going on a ride-along with Trooper Ben Gardner from the Kansas Highway Patrol. I was able to witness what highway workers, law enforcement and emergency personnel face every day while performing their job duties along the highways. I will say without hesitation - it takes a brave person to do what they do.

KHP Trooper Ben Gardner stops a motorist along
the side of the road. 

During our ride-along, Trooper Ben pulled over one motorist for speeding, but when he did, he stood only a few feet away from traveling vehicles. I witnessed a large tractor trailer fly by his left side on the Interstate as he was talking to the motorist through the driver’s side window. The semi must have been traveling at least 70 miles per hour and it did not slow down.

I could tell by Trooper Ben’s reaction that he has experienced this several times and was used to vehicles not moving over. When I told Trooper Ben that I couldn’t believe how close the semi was to him he just shrugged and said, “Yeah, I know.” He then got back in his patrol vehicle, buckled up and went on with his day.

Watching the semi skim by him was a scary feeling for me to watch. I can’t even begin to imagine what our troopers are feeling when they feel the momentum of a vehicle right next to them.

Last week was National Work Zone Awareness Week and numerous transportation-related agencies worked together to help raise awareness of the need for safety for those working along the highways. It was a focused time to promote work zone safety, but it needs to be a priority for motorists all year long. I saw firsthand what all the people who work along the highways see all too frequently – lives are on the line in work zones.

I stress and urge motorists to move over when they see a trooper or anyone on the side of the road. If you can’t get over right away, be patient and slow down so you can get over safely. Do your part while driving to keep our troopers safe because they work to keep us safe.

National Traffic Incident Response Awareness Week

Each year, hundreds of emergency responders representing fire, law enforcement, emergency medical services, towing and transportation agencies are struck and either injured or killed while responding.

This week is National Traffic Incident Response Awareness Week, which is a national campaign that raises awareness on improving safety for all these workers along the roadways.

A photo of a scene captured by a WICHway camera located on K-96 from Nov. 1, 2018. 

Every minute of every day, emergency responders across the country work to help save lives at the scene of traffic incidents.

As drivers, we are all responsible for using extra caution when approaching and passing a traffic incident work area. While it may seem like an inconvenience and a travel delay, it is imperative that we protect those involved in the crash and the emergency responders whose job it is to help others at the scene.

More than 4,000 first responders from across Kansas and millions from across the nation have been trained through the Traffic Incident Management program. It created by the Federal Highway Administration and National Highway Institute.

KDOT crews attended Traffic Incident Management training in Wichita.  

The training shares best practices in responding to, processing and removing traffic incidents as safely and quickly as possible. It is a planned and coordinated effort with goals to improve incident scene safety, inform other drivers of the situation, prevent secondary crashes resulting from congested traffic and return traffic flow to normal.

Graphic source: FHWA.gov

Millions of responders are working on the roadway at traffic incident scenes, every day, around the clock. Millions more motorists are passing near or through that incident work area. Looking out for one another is everybody’s responsibility.

Help us raise awareness of the dangers that emergency responders face during traffic incidents. 

Traffic Incident Manager saves countless lives through training of first responders

Rusty James, right, received recognition from ITS Heartland earlier this year for his dedicated work training thousands of emergency repsonders with the TIM program in the KC metro area. 

Traffic Incident Response Week, Nov. 13 – 19, was created to raise awareness of the dangers emergency responders are exposed to when they work at a traffic incident.

Rusty James, provides training to law enforcement officials,
emergency responders, and highway workers

Training emergency responders across the nation using the Federal Highway Administration’s Traffic Incident Management (TIM) program creates a coordinated response to clear traffic incidents efficiently with less risk to emergency responders, those involved in crashes and drivers that pass through an incident area.

As part of the Kansas City Scout traffic management center, TIM has been used in the KC metro area for many years. The manager of this effort until recently was Rusty James.

In May, Rusty was recognized by ITS Heartland, a five-state intelligent transportation systems organization, with its President’s Award in appreciation for his dedicated work training thousands of emergency responders.

There is no way to count the number of lives Rusty James saved over his many years of training law enforcement officers, firefighters, EMTs, tow operators, DOT maintenance workers and other first responders. But there is no doubt the he is responsible for many people going home after an incident because of the training he provided. Thank you Rusty!