N.C. Highway N.C. Highway Incident Safety Incident Safety
DVDDVDTIME TaskforceOct. 27th, 2009Brian Purvis, PE
NCDOT State IM Engineer
NCDOTNCDOT Our Mission
Connecting people and places in NC - safely and efficiently, with accountability and environmental sensitivity
Our GoalsMake roads saferMove people and goods efficientlyMake roads last longer
FIRE DEPARTMENTFIRE DEPARTMENT Mission
Minimize the risk of fire and other hazards to the citizens they serve
GoalsRespond and mitigate fires, medical
emergencies, hazmat incidents, aircraft emergencies, high angle and confined space rescues and other emergencies as they arise
FOCUS AREA FOCUS AREA Strategic Highway Strategic Highway
CorridorsCorridors Provides mobility for commuters,
businesses, tourists, hospitals, military bases, airports, schools,
and hurricane evacuees. Strategic Highway Corridors:
+/- 5400 miles 7.0 % of system, moves 45 % of
traffic
North Carolina’s Strategic North Carolina’s Strategic Highway Corridors Highway Corridors
(SHC’s)(SHC’s)
Accidents and Disabled Vehicles (25%)
Sources of CongestionSources of Congestion
Secondary Crashes National and NC data shows that
secondary crashes account for nearly of all crashes.
Safety Impacts of Safety Impacts of IncidentsIncidents
30%
18% USDOT estimates that of the deaths on freeways are due to secondary crashes.
REMAINING FREEWAY CAPACITYREMAINING FREEWAY CAPACITY
IncidentType Location No. of Freeway Lanes / Direction
2 3 4 5
Rt. Shdr 81 83 85 87
Accident Median 81 83 85 87
1-Lane 35 49 58 65
Rt. Shdr 95 98 98 98Breakdown
Debris Median 95 98 98 98
1-Lane 35 49 58 65
PUBLIC’S VIEW OF NCDOT…PUBLIC’S VIEW OF NCDOT…
SHOULDER ACCIDENTSHOULDER ACCIDENT
-19%
FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVESFIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVES
-65%
46% LESS Capacity
FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVESFIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVES
MUTCD ? NO Standardized? NO Confused? YES
What’s Wrong With This Picture?What’s Wrong With This Picture?
What’s Wrong With This Picture?What’s Wrong With This Picture?• Tuesday, June 19, 2007
– This was a very close call last Sunday night for Charlotte Firefighters when a motorist slammed into the rear of E22 on I-85. Two suffered minor injuries and were treated and released. One was hit by debris and the other injured his back while climbing a concrete barrier to provide assistance. The driver was the only occupant of the of the car (a Volvo) and was pinned in. He was later pronounced dead at the hospital. E22 was providing assistance to another MVA when this accident occurred. They were within a minute or so of clearing the scene.
Single Vehicle on Fire on ShoulderMinor Incident: Minor Incident:
Two Vehicle Accident with Injuries and Entrapment
Intermediate Incident:Intermediate Incident:
So, How Can We All So, How Can We All Work Better Together Work Better Together
To Minimize the To Minimize the Impacts of Incidents Impacts of Incidents on Travel in NC…?on Travel in NC…?
FEMA GRANTFEMA GRANTNFPA 1901 Requirements (Jan 09)
Fifty percent of the rear-facing vertical surface of all vehicles must now be covered with reflective red and yellow stripes in a chevron pattern sloping downward from the center of the vehicle at a 45-degree angle. The stripes must be 6 in wide, instead of the minimum combined width of 4 in specified on the sides and front. Although there is some latitude on the exact shade of yellow to be used, other colors may not be substituted.
FEMA GRANTFEMA GRANTNFPA 1901 Requirements (Jan 09)
All apparatus must now carry five 28-in high fluorescent orange traffic cones with double reflective markings, five illumination warning devices such as flares, and one traffic safety vest meeting current ANSI standards for each seating position. Departments may want to increase the number of traffic cones and illumination warning devices based on local conditions.
FEMA GRANTFEMA GRANTECHS~Incident Management Group
$525,000Produce DVD Training5 Cones / Existing 6 Tire minimum Rescue
or Fire Truck with 80% training verified.Reference Visor Cards
March – Distribute to Community CollegesApril thru May – Ship Cones to FD’sEnd of May – Complete Grant Funding
FEMA GRANTFEMA GRANT
PARKING ORDER BLOCK LEFT BLOCK SHOULDERBLOCK RIGHT
LAN
E
CREATE AN OPEN LANE(S) POLICY TO GET RESOURCES TO
THE INCIDENT FASTER. MINIMIZE CLOSED LANES
FIRE OR RESCUE DEPLOY A 200' TAPER WITH TRAFFIC CONES TO
REDIRECT TRAFFIC. SPACE CONES AT EACH SKIP LINE
REMOVE LANE CLOSURES, RELOCATE TO SHOULDER OR
DEMOBILIZE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE UNLESS REQUESTED
FOR TRAFFIC CONTROL
LAN
E
FIRST ARRIVING FIRE OR RESCUE SHOULD ANGLE VEHICLE (BLOCK) IN THE DIRECTION OF THE
MERGE WHEN PERSONNEL ARE NOT AT RISK
CONTACT DOT FOR HAZMAT, OVERTURNED TRACTOR
TRAILERS, FATALITY INVESTIGATIONS, MULTIPLE
VEHICLE ACCIDENTS OR OTHER LONG TERM INCIDENTS
Emergency Responder Parking Order and Cone Placement Reference Card
UPS
TREA
M
D
OW
NST
REA
M
EMS
FIRE / RESCUE
LAW ENFORCEMENT
PROVIDE A 50' TO 100' BUFFER SPACE BETWEEN YOU AND THE
INCIDENT SCENE
RESPONDER GOALS
STAGED VEHICLES
WRECKER SERVICE
TRAFFIC CONES
DO NOT PARK ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE ROAD OR IN THE
OPPOSITE DIRECTION OF TRAVEL
AS
SOO
N A
S PO
SSIB
LE,
REM
OVE
LA
NE
PLU
S O
NE
OR
D
EMO
BIL
IZE
UNPROTECTED AREA
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION /
IMAP
TRANSITION AREA
BUFFER SPACE
SHADOW AREA
SHADOW AREA
INCIDENT SCENE
* DO
T / I
MA
P TO
TA
KE
OVE
R
TRA
FFIC
CO
NTR
OL
UPO
N
PLU
S O
NE
FEMA GRANTFEMA GRANT
MOVE OVER LAW
Emergency Responder Highway & Interstate Safety Reference Card
LAW
S TO
HEL
P EM
ERG
ENC
Y R
ESPO
ND
ERS
FENDER BENDER LAW QUICK CLEARANCE LAW
Move over to an adjacent lane if available or
Slow down, maintaining a safe speed for traffic
the concurence of DOT, may immediately
f) Any investigating law enforcement officer, with
remove or have removed from the State
General Statute § 20-157 states:
f) When approaching a stopped emergency
vehicle with lights flashing, drivers should:
e) It is unlawful for a driver, except on official
business, to park and leave a vehicle within 100
feet of law enforcement or fire department
vehicles, public or private ambulances, or rescue
squad emergency vehicles which are engaged in
the investigation of an accident or engaged in
rendering assistance to victims of such accident.
personal property interfering with the regular flow
shoulder to minimize interference with traffic if all
of the following apply:
The accident or collision has not resulted in
Each vehicle can be normally and safely driven
under its own power without additional damage
Highway System any wrecked, abandoned,
feet in both directions and does not obstruct the
temporarily leaving the vehicle upon the paved
of traffic or which otherwise constitues a hazard, without liability for property removal.
General Statute § 20-166 states:If an accident or collision occurs on a main lane,
ramp, shoulder, median or adjacent area of a
highway, each vehicle shall be moved as soon as
possible out of the travel lane and onto the
to the vehicle, other traffic or the roadway.
b) No person shall park or leave standing any
a) No person shall park or leave standing any
General Statute § 20-161 states:
vehicle, whether attended or unattended, upon the
injury or death to any person.
disabled and impossible to avoid stopping and
outside municipal corporate limits unless
or main-traveled portion of the highway.
paved or main-traveled portion of any highway
vehicle upon the shoulder outside municipal
corporate limits unless it can be seen for 200
and
when safe to do so,
or
conditions and be prepared to stop.
normal movement of traffic.
disabled, unattended, burned... vehicle, cargo or
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