Defense Against the "D" Drivers - Keeping Our Emergency Responders Safe

It is that time of year when many of us are thinking about football playoffs. Whether high school, college or pro there is a buzz in the air as fans yell, scream and root for their favorite teams.  We often hear the call "Defense, Defense, Defense!" urging our teams to stop their opponents.  I am shouting that call now for all to hear, we all need to shout that call now to stop the "D' Drivers traveling our roads. "D" drivers are those driving drunk, drugged, drowsy, disturbed, distracted or just plain dumb.

At times, we are ALL "D" drivers, you, me, each and every one of us and this has to change.  While we may not drive drunk or drugged, I'm sure many of us drive drowsy or distracted if not daily then at least weekly. 

How many times each day do we take our eyes off the roadway when driving? How many times do you glance at your phone, reach for your coffee or sunglasses, daydream or rubberneck about something you see across the roadway?  The above graphic represents the average time your eyes are off the roadway when texting (4.6 seconds) at 55 MPH but realistically how many people are driving 55mph?  At 80 MPH you would travel 539 feet in 4.6 seconds or close to TWO football fields, think about that, think about what could happen?  A curve in the road, stopped traffic, an emergency responder assisting a motorist?

How can YOU help? How can YOU make a difference?  First, change your behavior, this is something I work on daily, I am a "D' Driver.

Next, become an advocate, shout "Defense, Defense, Defense!" help get the word out that driver behavior has to change, WE have to help make that change! 

Distracted driving is KILLING our Emergency Responders, our Police, Fire, EMS, Towing and Maintenance Workers who respond to roadway incidents each and ever day. We need to say ENOUGH!  We need to SHOUT STOP!

Take a moment to look at some numbers from the FHWA SHRP2 Traffic Incident Management Course and think that in a typical year, the following number of responders are struck and killed: 

?12 Law Enforcement Officers

 ?5 Fire and Rescue Personnel

 ?60 Towing and Recovery Professionals

 ?Several transportation professionals from DOTs, Public Works, and Safety Service Patrol Programs

Each and every day Emergency Responders are struck and injured due to "D" drivers, the numbers listed above are responders that are killed and are just a fraction of those that are struck.

Take a moment and think about how many families are impacted, how many children, husbands, wives, fathers, daughters, loved ones, co-workers effected.

The time is NOW, we need you to hear the shouts of "Defense, Defense, Defense!" to keep our Emergency Responders safe.