|
|
Road Safety
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
Road Safety
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
Welcome to our new Road Safety page! Since the incidents we respond to increasingly involve motor vehicles lately, we hope the information contained on this page helps to prevent some accidents from happening. We have also included some information about emergency vehicles and fire police to help you understand what's happening on the road.
Driving Tips | Fire Police | Emergency Vehicles
Seasonal Driving Tips
PA STATE LAW NOW REQUIRES YOU TO TURN YOUR HEADLIGHTS ON WHEN YOU NEED TO USE YOUR WINDSHIELD WIPERS, EVEN ON INTERMITTENT. If it is raining, no matter how hard, even if only drizzle, if you need to use your windshield wipers, you need to turn on your headlights. It's not about you being able to see, it's about other people being able to see you on wet roads before a collision occurs! PA also has a "Move Over" law now. Details about this are below.
Police all across Pennsylvania are cracking down on aggressive drivers! Don't fall victim to the temptation to speed, weave in and out of traffic or other bad driving habits! It could cost you plenty! Leave in plenty of time to reach your destination just in case you need to detour or if traffic is heavier than expected. The worst that can happen is you arrive early! At least you are more likely to arrive alive!
Keep an emergency kit in your trunk or somewhere in your vehicle. Many manufacturers make simple emergency kits that come in small cases to be easily stored in a vehicle. This will help you get noticed (and possibly rescued) if your vehicle "dies" while you're out on the road, especially at night. Here are some good things (but not everything) you might want to have in your emergency kit:
As always, SLOW DOWN when you see flashing lights ahead of any kind! There may be an accident, disabled vehicle, or even some kind of emergency road work going on which could result in disaster for you and others if you are unable to stop before you enter the area! Also take notice of Pennsylvania's new "Move Over" law (below) which is now in effect!
MOVE OVER when you see flashing lights at the side of the road! It doesn't matter whether it's a fire department, police department, or even a towing or road construction vehicle, PA's "Move Over" law applies to any vehicle operating flashing lights at the side of any road. If you see any vehicle with flashing lights at the side of the road, the new law says you must move over to the farthest legal lane of travel away from the vehicle on multi-lane roads or slow down to a safe speed (giving you time enough to stop in case someone walks out into the road, and to maintain control of your vehicle through the emergency scene). If there is no "passing lane" for you to move into, you must slow down to a safe speed. (We recommend 15 MPH.)
Don't EVER drink and drive! Impairment begins with the first drink! That means that you can lose your ability to make good, fast decisions and react quickly to unexpected situations after just one drink. If you must drink during one or more of your summer celebrations, PLEASE have a sober friend drive, take a taxi or party at a friend's house or hotel where you can stay and sleep it off.
Wear your seat belts. In cars with no air bags, the belt is the only thing between you and the windshield and the steering wheel in the event of an accident. Impacting the steering wheel or the windshield at even 5 miles per hour does NOT feel good. Even in cars with air bags, the air bags are designed only as a supplemental restraint, to be used in addition to seat belts. There's no replacing the safety of a seat belt. Besides, in PA, it's the law.
Turn on your headlights when you turn on your windshield wipers. It is now law in Pennsylvania that, if there is enough rain falling on your windshield that you must use your wipers, then you must also use your headlights. It's not about you being able to see, it's about other drivers being able to see you before it's too late to stop! Remember, you must at least double your expected stopping distance on wet roads, so turn on those headlights and maintain a very safe distance from the car ahead!
SLOW DOWN AND OBEY SPEED LIMITS IN CONSTRUCTION ZONES AND EMERGENCY SCENES! The PA State Police and PennDOT have begun Operation Yellowjacket, in which a State Trooper might be sitting in a PennDOT truck, timing your speed as you go by. At the end of the construction zone, a Trooper in a marked car will stop you and cite you if you have been speeding. Remember, fines are doubled in construction zones! So please, for the safety of our highway workers, SLOW DOWN AND OBEY CONSTRUCTION ZONE SPEED LIMITS! Also, the law now requires that you turn on your headlights while driving through construction zones, so don't forget to do that.
Even on dry roads, SPEED KILLS. The greater a vehicle's speed, the longer distance is required to stop the vehicle. This is why greater distance must be left between vehicles at higher speeds and SPEED LIMITS MUST BE OBEYED, especially in areas with many intersections.
Keep maps of your local area and frequent travel destinations in your car, and know at least two ways of getting anywhere. If an emergency happens and your primary route of travel is closed, you'll already know another way to get where you're going, or you'll only need to pull over and read the map to figure it out.
The first and foremost consideration when you're on the road is CONSIDERATION. Think about it...is it really worth risking your life, and the lives of those you share the road with, to get where you're going a few seconds sooner? Slow down a little. Take your time. Leave earlier and enjoy the ride instead of worrying about rushing to get there on time.
If you're tired, try opening a window or turning up the radio. If you still find yourself falling asleep, find a safe place to park and take a short nap. It'll do wonders!
Do we even need to say this again? YES, WE DO. DON'T DRINK AND DRIVE! Yes, you've heard it before, but now you've heard it again. IMPAIRMENT BEGINS WITH THE FIRST DRINK. Bring along a few extra dollars for a cab or bring a friend to be designated driver if you must drink when you go out.
More road safety tips
to come! Please come back again!
Who and what are Fire Police? Fire Police are volunteer members of a fire department who provide police services at a fire, accident or other emergency scene, or at a non-emergency event when additional manpower is needed to supplement local police. These services may include traffic control, crowd control, scene security and other duties as needed. Most often, Fire Police do not fight fires; however, in some fire companies, firefighters may do "double duty" as fire police.
Why do they do it? The job of Fire Police is to protect firefighters and the public from the dangers of public intrusion into an emergency scene. People who drive into an emergency scene may collide with a fire engine, or worse, a firefighter. Even pedestrians on an emergency scene may hamper firefighters' work. Fire Police also protect the public from the dangers of emergency scenes by controlling crowds near scenes, and they do their best to provide the most convenient detour for traffic when roads are closed.
Why do they close the road when I can see there's a lane open to drive through? Probably because, if an emergency exists ahead, it may be dangerous to the public to drive through the area. There may be a leak of gasoline or other hazardous materials. There my be live wires lying on the road which you can't see from your vantage point. Fire Police are aware of the dangers on the scene, which you are not aware of. But most of all, firefighters may be working in that area, and the road is closed to protect an unsuspecting firefighter from getting hit by a car!
Why do they close the road far away from the incident? Fire Police do their best to choose the most convenient, easiest detour for all involved. Sometimes they let cars through but detour trucks (CDL-size) because large trucks would be unable to get through. Sometimes they let trucks through but detour cars because trucks would be unable to follow the detour. Ultimately, they're doing what they feel best serves the interests of the safety of the fire department and the public.
Why should I obey the instructions of Fire Police? Because Fire Police are empowered by Pennsylvania Law with the legal authority to control crowds and traffic and provide security at emergency scenes and other events just like a police officer. Failure to obey the instructions of Fire Police can result in citations which appear on your criminal record, as well as fines, points on your license and possibly jail time! Obey the instructions of Fire Police.
Don't get angry at Fire Police for doing their job! Fire Police did not create the emergency! They did not cause the accident. They did not start the fire. They respond to help you as well as the fire department, to give you a way of avoiding the traffic jam which can be created at the scene of an emergency. They are there to keep you from getting hurt by getting in the way of working firefighters or getting too close to a hazardous emergency. Detouring traffic may cause everything to slow down, but you are usually getting through instead of getting stuck, so THANK A FIRE POLICE OFFICER. Remember, IF YOU NEED HELP OR DIRECTIONS, JUST STOP AND ASK!
Do not go around or through a Fire Police roadblock or yellow tape unless you are instructed to do so by a Fire Police or Police officer. If you do, you are breaking the law and may face criminal prosecution!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Red flashing lights: Emergency Vehicles come in all shapes and sizes, but they all have one thing in common: At least one red flashing light and a siren. Sometimes (in the case of police), the red light(s) are combined with blue light(s). Sometimes (in the case of fire and EMS vehicles), the red light(s) may be combined with white or amber light(s). In any case, if you see a vehicle behind you which has at least one flashing red light, Pennsylvania Law requires all motorists to yield the right of way by pulling over as far as possible to the right and coming to a complete stop to allow the emergency vehicle to pass.
Blue flashing lights: Vehicles equipped with flashing blue lights are being driven by a member of a volunteer fire or EMS organization. If you see a vehicle behind you with flashing blue lights, please pull over and allow that vehicle to pass! The flashing blue light indicates that the driver is responding to an emergency, and the life of someone you love may depend on how fast they can get there!
If you have any suggestions to add to our Road Safety page, please email them to us!
