General Headquarters — Columbus, Ohio

 

For Immediate Release: March 7, 2003
Contact: Lt. Tony Bradshaw (614) 752-2792
(ODOT) Rhonda Higgins (937) 497-6871

 

Ohio Quick Clear being used by
Dayton-area emergency responder agencies
Statewide program will reduce traffic congestion and delays from crashes

DAYTON - Focusing on safety, time savings, reducing traffic congestion caused by motor vehicle crashes and other highway incidents, and homeland security, the State of Ohio today unveiled Ohio Quick Clear in Dayton.

Ohio Quick Clear is a set of policies and procedures for emergency responders, which allow for the quick clearance of crash vehicles to reduce congestion, and reduce the frequency of secondary crashes. The emphasis of Ohio Quick Clear is to save lives and reduce injuries on Ohio roads, with a secondary benefit of saving motorists time by emergency responders holding traffic at a highway emergency scene only as long as necessary.

"We believe Ohio Quick Clear will reduce roadway congestion and closures due to the increased emphasis on coordination and cooperation between agencies at a crash scene," Col. Paul McClellan, Ohio State Highway Patrol superintendent, said. "In the Highway Patrol, we have seen increased safety, decreased congestion, and improved commute times on Interstate 75 in Dayton, where the Patrol is using the Ohio Quick Clear method."

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, about half of all urban congestion is caused by incidents on the roadway such as crashes, spills and disabled vehicles.

The program will be introduced throughout Ohio in the upcoming weeks during regional training sessions with area emergency responder organizations. Today’s unveiling in Dayton comes on the heels of training conducted in Columbus and Dayton earlier this week.

"If we can remove crashes, spills and other obstructions from our roads and freeways more quickly, we can keep traffic moving and significantly reduce the risk of secondary crashes that often occur upstream from the original incident," said Gordon Proctor, director of the Ohio Department of Transportation.

Emergency responder agencies throughout Ohio have received an, "Emergency Responder Checklist," to use as an aid in making decisions that can reduce traffic congestion caused by crashes or other roadway-related incidents. A second phase of Ohio Quick Clear is being planned, which is a public education component to have motorists move minor damage crash vehicles to the berm or nearest place of safety, providing there are no injuries and the vehicles are moveable, to help alleviate congestion prior to the arrival of emergency responder personnel.

Ohio Quick Clear resulted from a task force of representatives from the Buckeye State
Sheriffs Association, Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police, Ohio State Highway Patrol, Ohio Department of Transportation, Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, Ohio Fire Chief's Association, Ohio Fire Marshal's Office, Ohio Trucking Association, Towing and Recovery Association of Ohio, AAA Ohio Auto Club, and Ohio Emergency Medical Services.

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Note to editors: Additional information on Ohio Quick Clear is available on the Ohio Department of Transportation Web site at www.dot.state.oh.us/quickclear.
View an Ohio Quick Clear poster.

03-069

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