KC Scout participates in NHTSA traffic study

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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recently hosted a press conference at the MoDOT KC district office. The conference was held on May 5 and included five state Highway Patrols including Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, and Arkansas. This event included information from a traffic study recently conducted by NHTSA with the help of KC Scout resources. 

"This Mother's Day, these five State Patrols are here to remind you to slow down. We hope drivers keep their mothers in mind and get to them safely by slowing down and moving over for emergency vehicles," Susan DeCourcy, NHTSA Regional Administrator said. 

According to NHTSA, all 50 states have Move Over laws to protect law enforcement officers and other first responders stopped on our Nation's roads but many drivers are unaware of these laws and traffic-related incidents continue to be the number one cause of death among on-duty law enforcement officers.

Prior to this event, NHTSA conducted an observational study utilizing KC Scout's network of cameras. DeCourcey was curious about the data related to motorist compliance with state "Move Over" laws.

"After researching this question and not finding much data, we decided to see if we could develop an observational survey based on driver behavior during roadside events," explained NHTSA representative Aaron Bartlett.

In early April, Bartlett led a three hour survey in the KC Scout TMC with TMC Operator James Banhart of 946 observations of nine roadside events.

"We observed 620 vehicles move over a lane of traffic from the lane adjacent to the event and another 12 vehicles were seen slowing by brake lights. The remaining 314 vehicles had the opportunity to move over a lane but did not and did not visibly slow down. This means that for this point in time survey 66% of motorists moved over for emergency responders and tow providers," said Barlett.

The study also noted that the type of first responder (such as law enforcement, emergency response operators, tow trucks, etc.), made a difference in how drivers responded.

"Laws are not recommendations. They are laws," said the NHTSA representative. 

Each of the states represented at the press event have experienced multiple hits this year alone. 

Michael Maynard, an Emergency Response Operator with KC Scout spoke at the event. In addition to describing the multiple times he's experienced or seen a close call, Maynard emotionally plead to the crowd to pay attention.

"Please move over. All of us out here love our families and we want to go home to them," Maynard said.

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