You see them parked along a freeway on-ramp, in a rest area, at a park ‘n ride, near the entrance to a floating bridge, or assisting at a roadway incident. They are the Washington Deptartment of Transportation (WSDOT) Incident Response Team drivers and their trucks.
Incident Response Team members are first responders to roadway crashes and roadside assistance. At the scene of a crash, they assist law enforcement by being a buffer between the incident zone, the people involved and motorists on the roadway, and use their truck mounted attenuator lights to detour traffic around the scene.
These WSDOT team members also work with regional traffic management centers such as the one in Shoreline that serves the North Sound. In addition, they report in real-time – crashes or roadside incidents along state highways and freeways.
They also help disabled vehicles, assist tow truck operations, and assist motorists with flat tires and those out of gas.
One issue that remains a life safety concern is the behavior of some motorists passing by the scene of crash responses or roadside assistance. There have too many motorists who hit or nearly strike those assisting with a motorist or crash scene. Excessive speed, distracted driving, and impaired driving all place these WSDOT team members at greater risk performing their duty at a scene along with all other first responders and motorists at the site. Crashes into these scenes have resulted in tragic fatal results.
Incident Response Team members, law enforcement, fire, and tow truck operators all use emergency lights when involved in a roadway or roadside response. It is the law to slow down and move over when approaching such scenes, as well as through any road work zones. Many of these, first responders and road crews have experienced when motorists have narrowly missed or crashed into a scene.
Each year in April, the WSDOT highlights National Work Zone Awareness Week noting safe driving around crash scenes, roadside assistance, and road work zones. The awareness week website also shares videos of unfortunate incidents along our roadways. The WSDOT’s also uses their blog to share a variety of highway news and stories, including accounts of unfortunate incidents involving response team safety.
When you see the WSDOT Incident Response Team in action, give them extra room, brake, slow down, and know they will be there in case you need them on the road someday.
