Nov. 2, 2026 (Lincoln, Neb.) — Crash Responder Safety Week begins November 2, and the Nebraska
Department of Transportation (NDOT) is highlighting the role drivers play in getting everyone home
safely. Drivers are reminded to stay alert, slow down and move over when they see flashing lights
ahead.
Crash Responder Safety Week began as a national initiative sponsored by the Federal Highway
Administration (FHWA) in 2016. It serves as an annual reminder of the role drivers play in protecting the
people who respond to and clear traffic incidents, including emergency responders, law enforcement,
tow and recovery operators and transportation workers. The theme of this year’s Crash Responder
Safety Week (November 2- 6) is “Slow Down, Move Over. Lives are on the Line”.
According to the Emergency Responder Safety Institute (ERSI), at least 26 first responders across the
country have been struck and killed while responding to traffic incidents in 2026 alone. In an average
year, ERSI reports one responder is killed nearly every week.
“It’s vital that drivers slow down and get over when they see a traffic incident ahead,” NDOT Director
Vicki Kramer said. “The people working just feet from moving traffic are counting on drivers to pay
attention and give them the space they need to do their jobs as safely and efficiently as possible.
Taking a few extra seconds to slow down and move over can make the difference between a responder
going home safely and a tragedy.”
NDOT supports crash responders through initiatives like its Traffic Incident Management program
(TIM), which trains first responders in a standardized set of best practices for detecting, responding to
and clearing crashes and other traffic incidents. NDOT has set a goal of training 1,000 responders each
year to improve on-scene coordination and enhance safety for responders and the traveling public.
Additionally, Nebraska’s Move-Over Law, which previously required drivers to slow down and move over
only for emergency and roadside vehicles, was updated in September 2025 with the passage of LB 530.
The new law specifies that drivers must slow down and move over for all stopped vehicles and
vulnerable road users on the side of the highway, including pedestrians, bicyclists, people in
crosswalks, and agricultural vehicles or equipment.
But these measures only work when drivers consistently commit to slowing down and moving over
when they approach an active incident. Drivers who reduce their speed and move into different lane
when they see responders working on the side of the road dramatically reduce the risk of death and
injury from secondary crashes.
Crash Responder Safety Week is a yearly reminder of the people who keep roads safe and clear every
day. Slow down, move over. Lives are on the line.
