Local News - August 2003

Emergency crews need room to work

Published August 11, 2003

Roadside caution urged

By ALICE SMITH, LTN Staff Writer

N.C. Highway Patrol Troopers are stepping up the enforcement of a law designed to keep emergency workers safe on local roads.

The law says that drivers must change lanes or slow down when approaching any emergency responders on a multiple-lane road.

This would include law enforcement officers who have stopped drivers, as well as EMS and fire personnel who are working a wreck scene.

“This is a law that was designed to protect everybody,” said Line Sgt. T.E. Ellis of the highway patrol.

Two troopers in North Carolina have died in the past two years as a result of careless motorists. And Charlotte paramedic Tim Hayes lost both legs when he was hit while at the scene of a wreck in January.

While troopers are aware of drivers’ actions on all roads, they will be concentrating mostly on enforcing this law on U.S. 321 since it’s the only four-lane road that runs through Lincoln County.

Michael Keller, Lincoln County EMS operations manager, said it is unfortunate that more attention is not paid to emergency responders on roadsides.

Often drivers’ curiosity at wreck scenes keeps them from being safe, he said.

“They’re too busy looking at the scene to pay attention to what’s going on in front of them,” Keller said.

Paramedics and EMTs often have to access equipment located in bays on the sides of ambulances, Keller said, which puts them further out into the roadway and increases the potential for danger.

Neither Ellis nor Keller remember any tragedies happening in Lincoln County, but Keller has seen some unsettling incidents.

Workers have been bumped and knocked down, he said. And while working a wreck during one winter, Keller saw a car drive closely by and hit a puddle.

“It covered the entire patient and emergency workers with slush from their tires,” he said.

Keller also asks motorists to be alert when they see emergency vehicles traveling on the road.

If a vehicle is approaching from behind, do not slam on the breaks, he said. Use a turn signal and pull safely out of the way. Also, it’s dangerous to stop on curves or hilltops.

Troopers said they often see drivers disregarding emergency workers, Ellis said.

And they want the public to know they will take action against offenders.

“When we have cars stopped, people will go by us and not move over at all,” he said. “If we do see that we’re definitely going to take enforcement action against them.”

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Staff Writer Alice Smith can be reached at 704-735-3031 or alicesmith@ltnews.com

© 2001 Lincoln Times-News  

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