VDOT, Virginia State Police urge drivers to move over during Crash Responder Safety Week
The Virginia Department of Transportation and Virginia State Police are urging motorists to slow down and move over for roadside responders during Crash Responder Safety Week, Nov. 2-6. The agencies said traffic incidents place law-enforcement officers, firefighters, emergency medical workers, tow operators, public works crews and transportation workers at risk while they assist motorists and clear roads.
VDOT cited three serious incidents this year. Safety Service Patrol operator Clayton Fitchett was struck and killed Sept. 19 while helping State Police with a report of a person sleeping on an Interstate 64 overpass in Newport News. The driver fled, and the case remains under investigation. Six days later, a vehicle struck three State Police vehicles stopped along eastbound Route 460; the troopers were not hurt, but the 22-year-old driver suffered serious injuries. On May 2, another Safety Service Patrol operator suffered life-altering injuries after being struck while responding to a disabled vehicle on I-64 in Newport News.
"Every crash scene is an active and often dangerous work zone. Our troopers, local law enforcement officers, safety service patrol personnel, firefighters, EMS providers, and tow operators are focused on helping those involved, clearing the roadway, and restoring safe travel for everyone. We're asking drivers to do their part by slowing down, staying alert, and giving responders the space they need to work safely," said Virginia State Police Lieutenant Colonel Norman E. Gray, Sr.
VDOT said its personnel responded to more than 18,500 crashes on Virginia's 59,000-plus miles of state-maintained roads last year. Since 2021, VDOT crash responders have handled more than 127,000 crashes, while Safety Service Patrol operators have responded to more than 1 million incidents.
Virginia law requires drivers approaching certain stationary vehicles displaying warning lights to move into a nonadjacent lane when reasonable and safe, or otherwise proceed cautiously at a safe speed. A violation could lead to a reckless driving charge; reckless driving is a Class 1 misdemeanor in Virginia that can result in a fine of up to $2,500 and a maximum prison term of one year.
VDOT advises motorists involved in property-damage-only crashes to move vehicles out of travel lanes when possible. If a disabled vehicle cannot be moved and an occupant must leave it, the person should stay away from traffic, walk on the right side of the road, and avoid crossing the highway or attempting to stop traffic.
Learn more at VDOT's Driver Safety webpage.
