November 20, 2024
This year first responders in Greater Philadelphia have a new tool to help notify drivers of emergency vehicles, even before they are visible. Digital alerting, or Responder-to-Vehicle technology, alerts motorists of responders’ positions directly to their vehicle navigation system, increasing awareness of roadside hazards and encouraging compliance with Move Over, Slow Down laws.
November 18-22, 2024, is Crash Responder Safety Week, which is an opportunity to get the word out and encourage drivers to Move Over and Slow Down to protect emergency responders (fire, law enforcement, EMS, tow, transportation, public works, etc.) working on our roadways. This year's theme is “Responder Ahead! Reduce Your Speed As You Proceed.”
This year first responders in Greater Philadelphia have a new tool to help notify drivers of emergency vehicles, even before they are visible. Digital alerting, or Responder-to-Vehicle technology, alerts motorists of responders’ positions directly to their vehicle navigation system, increasing awareness of roadside hazards and encouraging compliance with Move Over, Slow Down laws.
Pennsylvania and New Jersey have Move Over laws, which require motorists to move over or slow down as they travel past active roadway incidents such as a crash, stalled vehicle, or roadway debris.
DVRPC plans to bring the digital alerting system to over 100 agencies and equip 450+ emergency response vehicles across Greater Philadelphia. DVRPC has partnered with NEWCOM to install the system and activate HAAS Alerts Safety Cloud services in first responder vehicles. Digital alerting technology differs from all past methods utilized to notify a driver of an approaching hazard by bringing the alert within the vehicle to gain the driver’s attention.
Learn more about Crash Responders Safety Week on the National Operations Center of Excellence webpage and follow and share DVRPC’s posts on social media throughout the week to raise awareness. Learn about Traffic Incident Management in the DVRPC region.