Traffic Incident Management
Various traffic incident management scenes - heavy traffic after accident, traffic planning, police car blocking road, overturned car on bridge, detour, rescue workers.
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Crash Responder Safety Week (CRSW)
November 13-17, 2023

TIM >  CRSW

Crash Responder Safety Week (CRSW) takes place November 13 –17, 2023. This Federal Highway Administration (FHWA )-sponsored initiative communicates the simple steps everyone can take to keep roadway responders and the public safe around traffic incidents.

Every minute of every day, law enforcement, fire and rescue, emergency medical services (EMS), public works, transportation, towing, and other responders work roadside to make roadways safe for all road users. These traffic incident responders put their lives at risk when clearing each of the nearly 7 million annual motor vehicle crashes or the broader range of incidents such as stalled vehicles or roadway debris.

CRSW is an opportunity to promote road user awareness and adherence to Move Over laws and Traffic Incident Management (TIM) Responder Training for all traffic incident responders. FHWA has established, in cooperation with the CRSW National Committee, a Campaign Toolkit with strategic CRSW outreach themes. FHWA encourages national, State, and local organizations to amplify the visibility and message of this important week by using the Campaign Toolkit calendar to align your promotion, press outreach, and social media engagement with others across the country. By following the calendar, supporters can speak with a common voice, all using the same hashtag, #CRSW.

The theme for CRSW 2023 is “Protect Those Who Protect You,” emphasizing the traveling public’s role in keeping responders safe while responders make roadways safe for all road users. The following are common strategies executed by State and local agencies to commemorate CRSW:

  • Social media campaigns across multiple platforms
  • Mass TIM responder training events
  • State or local proclamations (e.g., Governor’s Proclamation) and proclamation-signing events
  • In-person tours of Traffic Management Centers
  • Ride -along events with traffic incident responders
  • Television, print news, and podcasts featuring stories or interviews
  • Slow down, move over safety messages on highway changeable message signs
  • Slow down, move over law enforcement campaigns
  • Departments of motor vehicle offices sharing CRSW video, image, or print materials
  • Highway visitor plazas and rest stops sharing CRSW video, image, or print materials
  • Demonstration events at highway visitor plazas or other significant public venues
  • Testimonial from responders

Review the following resources to learn more about how your State, local agency, or national association can help promote CRSW.

To learn more about CRSW, click on the links in the following list:

CRSW National Committee

The following associations serve on the Crash Responder Safety Week (CRSW) National Committee, led by FHWA and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA):

  • American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO)
  • American Public Works Association (APWA)
  • International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP)
  • International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC)
  • International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF)
  • Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE)
  • National Association of State EMS Officials (NASEMSO)
  • National EMS Management Association (NEMSMA)
  • National Sheriffs’ Association (NSA)
  • National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC)
  • Towing and Recovery Association of America (TRAA)

The CRSW National Committee’s mission is to implement a national campaign that effectively communicates the simple steps that everyone can take in keeping our roadway responders and the public safe Please reach out to Jim Austrich for questions on how your association can participate in CRSW or become a member of the CRSW National Committee.

How did CRSW Come to Be?

Beginning 2016, TIM responders and organizations had become familiar with National Traffic Incident Responders Awareness Week (NTIRAW), a week promoted by the FHWA Office of Operations TIM Program. As a keystone event each year, NTIRAW gave TIM supporters a unique opportunity to share key road safety messages to responders and public audiences. Over the years, participating member organizations noted that while the mission of NTIRAW is critical, the name has not been the most effective in helping the TIM communities achieve that mission.

CRSW, introduced in 2021, retains the essential meaning of NTIRAW, while giving supporters a name that is easier to use, eas y to remember, and engaging for audiences being introduced to TIM. Both the 2021 and 2022 CRSW campaigns used the new name in their campaigns that supported CRSW goals : to save the lives of traffic incident responders and road users .

CRSW 2022 Highlights

The FHWA, NHTSA, and FMCSA joined local TIM responders, national incident response and safety associations, and many others TIM advocates to commemorate CRSW 2022 at the U.S. Department of Transportation headquarters on November 16, 2022. During the event, Acting Federal Highway Administrator Stephanie Pollack noted that “through the National Roadway Safety Strategy and our partnerships with State and local agencies, we are committed to supporting our Nation’s emergency responders, who save lives on a daily basis and inspire us with their courage and dedication.” FHWA also commemorated the start of 2022 CRSW by hosting a 2-hour live webinar.

 

Two photographs show groups commemorating Crash Responder Safety Week 20222 at the United States Department of Transportation Headquarter.

CRSW 2021 Highlights

The FHWA commemorated the start of 2021 CRSW by hosting a 2-hour live webinar. The FHWA shared TIM community messages, testimonials, and strategies to promote the safety of traffic incident responders and road users during this webinar. The webinar also featured messages from FHWA Acting Administrator Stephanie Pollack, NHTSA Acting Administrator Dr. Steven Cliff, and messages from leaders of various partner associations (APWA, IACP, IAFC, IAFF, NVFC, NEMSMA, NSA, and TRAA). In addition, the webinar featured a virtual CRSW proclamation signing, State and local CRSW efforts, and ongoing research to advance responder and road user safety.

State and local departments of transportation, law enforcement, fire and rescue, emergency medical services (EMS ), public works, and other response organizations commemorated CRSW in many ways. The following map illustrates the States that collaborated and shared CRSW practices through All-States Planning monthly webinars in 2021.

Map shows 31 States participated in the CRSW 2021 All state Planning webinars, sharing their planned efforts to commemorate CRSW.
Map shows 31 States participated in the CRSW 2021 All state Planning webinars, sharing their planned efforts to commemorate CRSW. These States include: AL, AZ, CA, CO, CT, FL, GA, HI, IN, IA, LA, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, NE, NV, NJ, NY, NC, PA, PR, RI, TN, TX, UT, VA, WA, WV, WI.