Wednesday, April 18, 2001
|
Wednesday, April 18, 2001 |
|
If you see flashing lights, slow down and use common sense, officials say By JOHN
MUNFORD
Motorists are being urged to use caution around accident and crime scenes on local roadways. On several occasions, emergency personnel have almost been struck at accident scenes by approaching motorists, said Capt. Pete Nelms of the Fayette County Department of Fire and Emergency Services. This month alone, emergency personnel in several states were struck and killed by oncoming vehicles. Motorists should slow down whenever they approach a scene where red or blue lights are flashing, Nelms said. Also, drivers should look for a law enforcement officer to give directions, said Maj. Wayne Hannah, who heads up the traffic enforcement division of the Fayette County Sheriff's Department. "People need to make sure they understand what the officer wants them to do," Hannah said. "Make eye contact with the person controlling the traffic and make sure your understand their signals." When it's dark and/or rainy outside, motorists should use even more caution as they near the scene, Hannah added. To make themselves more visible, emergency personnel are using reflective orange vests at accident scenes, said FCDFES Chief Tom Bartlett. "Motorists just need to be aware of what's going on," Bartlett said. "We're doing our part, but we're asking folks to do their part as well and slow down." Often times, the motorist's attention is diverted from the road to the accident scene, Bartlett said. Drivers need to pay attention to the road instead, he added. "An increasing number of people try to hurry up and get past the scene," Nelms said. That has put more emergency workers in peril, he added. The greatest difficulty for emergency workers is when they have to walk across four lanes of traffic to get to a scene, Nelms said. Although they try to park on the same side of the road as the emergency scene, sometimes several trips need to be made across the road to bring special equipment to the scene, Bartlett said. "They're trying to focus on the patient and at the same time they have to be extremely alert," Nelms said. Deputies from the Fayette County Sheriff's Department typically direct traffic at accident scenes in the county. But for added protection, emergency vehicles are parked along the road to serve as a barrier to protect accident victims and emergency personnel, Nelms added. To keep traffic flowing, the roads aren't shut down both ways unless its totally necessary, Nelms said. For example, there are some cases when a helicopter is needed to transport a critical patient quickly, and there might be no other place for it to land other than on the roadway. "We're not blocking a lane or the whole road for the fun of it," Hannah said. "Our goal is to get traffic moving as soon as possible, but sometimes it takes a while." Drivers should also use caution not to disturb the crime scene and stay out of a lane when it's blocked by an emergency vehicle, Hannah said. Above all, the golden rule is to pay attention and refrain from being distracted while near accident or crime scenes, officials said. Hannah recalled being clipped by a vehicle while directing traffic at a scene. He had turned around briefly to survey the situation when a female motorist breezed past, grazing his elbow. She stopped and told Hannah what she had been doing. "I was just putting on my makeup," she said.
|
||