A Framework for Collecting Emergency Responder/Roadside Worker Struct-By/Near-Miss Data
No one would argue that emergency and roadside workers should be safer than they are now when they work in and around the highway, and no one would argue that we should do more to help reduce the risks that these individuals face while they work. However, to achieve zero deaths of emergency and roadway workers, there are governance, institutional and technological changes that must occur.
The divergence of data availability is vast. For instance, with regards to emergency responders, struck-by and near-miss data is reported in different places for the fire services, law enforcement, and emergency medical services, as well as towing and recovery operators. The number of roadside workers that are struck or nearly missed is not known or maintained by transportation agencies with any regularity or uniformity.