AAA Aims to Increase Safety of MoCo Officers with Donation of Flares

Gaithersburg, MD (October 19, 2023) - AAA Mid-Atlantic today donated LED road flare lights to the Montgomery County Police Department, as part of an Officer Appreciation Event and in recognition of National Move Over Day, which is Saturday, October 21st. The auto club treated the officers and emergency personnel to a pizza lunch and presented pi-lit® smart sequential road flares to the agency to help increase visibility and safety when officers work roadside emergency incidents in dark conditions.

“Our officers work tirelessly, often under challenging conditions, to protect us all. By following the 'Move Over Law,' drivers are actively contributing to officers’ safety,” said Marcus Jones, Montgomery County Chief of Police. “AAA's commitment to our safety and their support for our law enforcement efforts is truly commendable. The road flares will not only assist in ensuring our officers' safety, but also help educate the public about the importance of the 'Move Over Law.'”

Move Over laws exist in all 50 states. AAA and other traffic safety advocates across the country have been instrumental in the passage of laws to better protect tow truck drivers, road construction workers and other first responders. Maryland and Virginia Move Over laws require drivers to slow down and when possible, move over a lane, away from first responders, tow truck drivers and/or disabled vehicles at the roadside, displaying hazard lights/emergency flashers.

The latest statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) indicate that more than 75% of all roadside deaths, where the victim was outside of a disabled vehicle, occurred after dark. According to data analyzed by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, almost 2,000 people were killed outside of the vehicle, in roadside crashes over the five-year period from 2017-2021, and nearly 1,500 of those deaths occurred after dark.

“As part of AAA Mid-Atlantic’s ongoing commitment to educating motorists about ‘Move Over’ safety laws and protecting roadside workers, we were honored to donate these highly visible flare kits to our Montgomery County law enforcement partners, to help ensure they return home safely to their families after nighttime duties along the roadways,” said Ragina Cooper Ali, spokeswoman for AAA in Maryland and Washington, D.C.

Tragic Numbers

Sadly, law enforcement officers and first responders are being struck by vehicles and injured or killed while working roadside at an alarming rate:

• Statistics from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) show that in 2021, there were 27 law enforcement officer struck-by fatalities. Many of these fatal incidents occurred while officers were investigating motor vehicle crashes or assisting drivers on the side of the road.
• According to the Emergency Responder Safety Institute, 65 traffic incident management responders were killed due to roadside collisions across the United States in 2021.

What’s Being Done

Law enforcement agencies across Maryland and the nation regularly enforce Move Over law violations. AAA and its traffic safety partners will strengthen advocacy and community awareness throughout the year, including highlighting “National Move Over Day” this Saturday. October 21.

“Roadside workers, including law enforcement officers, road construction crews and tow truck operators, such as our AAA emergency roadside service technicians, face perilous situations while working their daily jobs every single day, often just feet away from passing traffic,” Ali added.

For more information, visit http://www.aaa.com/moveover or view AAA’s public service announcement video at https://vimeo.com/681036292