Saving Lives with Traffic Incident Management

BRADENTON – Just when you think you are going to get there in time, you round a curve and traffic is backed-up for miles. Main transportation arteries can come to a dead standstill from nothing more than a bumper thumper, but during such an incident the possibility of it later producing a fatality rises considerably.

At Monday's Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) meeting, Bill Fuller, from Florida Department of Transportation's (FDOT) Traffic Incident Management program, delivered a presentation on how congestion and highway incidents often create a vicious circle.

Studies show highway incidents cause 50-60 percent of roadway congestion. 20 percent of those are secondary incidents, often resulting in first responder injuries and or death.

Police officers are 18 times more likely to die from being hit by a vehicle than struck by a bullet. In fact, 6-8 EMS/Fire responders, and 10-12 Law Enforcement officers are lost annually. 60 towtruck drivers and 100 other highway professionals fall victim to fatal highway incidents each year.

The Traffic Incident Management Team (TIM) is a group of organizations meeting regularly to identify issues and develop improved incident management operations through coordination, communication and cooperation.

TIM participants consist of Law Enforcement, Fire-Rescue, Emergency Management, Transportation Medical Examiners and Public Works. Hazardous material teams, towing recovery and road builders also play a major role in highway safety.

Studies show the annual cost of highway congestion is $80 billion nationwide, $198 million in Sarasota County and $1.1 billion in the Tampa Bay Area.

The task TIM has taken to reduce the fatalities and costs incident-driven-congestion presents is in the form of an agreement between FDOT and FHP (Florida Highway Patrol):

- Establishes policy for FHP and FDOT personnel to expedite the removal of vehicles, cargo and debris from the state roadways.

- Clear all incidents within 90 minutes of the arrival of the first responding officer.

- Urgently restore the safe and orderly flow of traffic.

The National Traffic Incident Management Responder Training and Train-the-Trainer Course was developed as part of the Strategic Highway Research Program-2 (SHRP-2), designed to establish the foundation for responders to meet the Traffic Incident Management National Unified Goal (NUG) objectives of: responder safety; safe, quick clearance; and prompt, reliable, inter-operable communications.

For more information on TIM workshops and how we all can help to make a safer, less congested and expedient roadway, contact: Manatee County Public Safety Center, 2101 47th Terrace East, Bradenton FL, 34203 or Contact Bill Fuller, FDOT Traffic Operations (239) 225-1915.