Nearly once every week, a first responder is killed while attempting to clear a roadway crash.

As part of Colorado Responder Safety Week (CRSW), Nov. 2-6, each of us plays in keeping responders safe as they work to keep our roadways safe and clear.

"Roadside rescues are among the most dangerous emergency calls we handle, not just for drivers and their passengers but also for those of us clearing the roads". "We ask everyone on the road to please use extreme caution when passing the scene of an accident so we can all get home safe."

When responding to motor vehicle collisions, Responders work together with emergency medical personnel, law enforcement, fire department volunteers, towing and recovery, emergency management, public works, and safety patrols and CDOT to safely clear incidents. On any given day, approximately 50,000 traffic incident responders work roadside to provide emergency response and to restore safe travel after traffic incidents, such as crashes or spilled cargo.

Throughout Responder Safety Week, the Federal Highway Administration collaborates with national partners, states, and local responders to reduce the number of traffic incident responders injured or killed in the line of duty.

This national event includes the promotion of state "Slow Down, Move Over, Stay Alert" laws for motorists and free Traffic Incident Management (TIM) training for responders.