TRAFFIC CONTROL CONCEPTS FOR 

INCIDENT CLEARANCE 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

Federal Highway Administration 

QUALITY ASSURANCE 

The U.S. Department of Transportation provides high-quality information to serve 

Government, industry, and the public in a manner that promotes public understanding. 

Standards and policies are used to ensure and maximize the quality, objectivity, utility, and 

integrity of its information. USDOT periodically reviews quality issues and adjusts its 

programs and processes to ensure continuous quality improvement. This material is 

based upon work supported by the Federal Highway Administration under contract 

number DTFH61-06-D-0007. Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations 

expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the 

views of the Federal Highway Administration. 

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TECHNICAL REPORT DOCUMENTATION

1. Report No. 

FHWA-HOP-08-057

2. Government Accession No. 3. Recipient's Catalog No. 

4. Title and Subtitle 

Traffic Control Concepts for Incident Clearance

5. Report Date 

January 2009

6. Performing Organization Code 

7. Author(s) 

Ingrid Birenbaum, P.E., PTOE, , Charles Creel, and Sally G. Wegmann 

8. Performing Organization Report No. 

9. Performing Organization Name and Address 

PBS&J 

482 S. Keller Rd. 

Orlando, Florida 32810 

10. Work Unit No. (TRAIS) 

11. Contract or Grant No. 

12. Sponsoring Agency Name and Address 

Federal Highway Administration 

Office of Transportation Operations 

1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE 

Washington, DC 20590

13. Type of Report and Period Covered 

Technical Report

14. Sponsoring Agency Code 

HOTO-1, FHWA 

15. Supplementary Notes 

Project performed under contract to Battelle for the Federal Highway Administration Office of Operations

16. Abstract 

This document discusses various aspects of traffic control for incidents with the focus on the traffic control roles 

and responsibilities of the responders as well as the safety of the responders and the motoring public. It also 

recognizes that active traffic management is necessary to meet the fluctuating needs of the scene and to 

minimize clearance and recovery time. An overview of popular state laws and policies enacted to support safe, 

quick clearance is provided. The roles/responsibilities of the various categories of responders are addressed. 

Available traffic control devices are discussed. There is also focus on the affects on traffic control created by the 

dynamic nature of incident clearance. Highlights some “best practices” to enhance traffic control implementation 

are included. 

17. Key Words 

Transportation Management Plans, Information 

Sharing, Traffic Incident Management

18. Distribution Statement 

No restrictions. This document is available to the 

public.

19. Security Classif. (of this report) 

Unclassified

20. Security Classif. (of this page) 

Unclassified

21. No. of Pages 

54

22. Price 

N/A

Form DOT F 1700.7 Reproduction of completed page authorized 
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LETTER FROM ASSOCIATE ADMINISTRATOR OF OPERATIONS JEFFREY A. LINDLEY 

1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE. 

Washington, DC 20590

October 31, 2008 

Dear Transportation Professionals & Traffic Incident Management (TIM) Partners: 

As part of the mission of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to “Keep America 

Moving,” we need to safeguard the motoring public and those responding to traffic incidents. 

Safe, quick clearance of highway incidents—a foundation of both mature and developing TIM 

programs—depends on strong, coordinated multi-agency operations that are supported by 

integrated communications. 

With more vehicles on the Nation’s highways, traffic incidents become increasingly life 

threatening for those involved, including responders dispatched to help. According to the 

National Traffic Incident Management Coalition (NTIMC), "struck-by" secondary incidents 

are on the rise. In conjunction with the NTIMC partner organizations in the public safety and 

transportation arenas, FHWA promotes policies that enhance responder safety (such as driver 

removal and move-over laws); encourages the use of new technologies and gear to protect 

responders during roadside operations; and promotes improved safety procedures and safety 

training of traffic incident responders. In the coming year, FHWA will be launching a new 

campaign, similar to the highly successful “Click It or Ticket” campaign, to increase driver 

awareness of their roles and duties in safely addressing traffic incidents or public safety 

responses on the roads. 

As a part of this campaign and in support of TIM practitioners, FHWA is pleased to introduce 

a new set of primers, collectively known as the “Safe, Quick Clearance Primer Series.” This 

series includes five primers that address various issues associated with roadside clearance 

operations and provide basic building blocks on: 

• Information Sharing for Traffic Incident Management 

• Traffic Incident Management in Construction and Maintenance Work Zones 

• Traffic Incident Management in Hazardous Materials Spills in Incident Clearance 

• Traffic Incident Management Resource Management, and

• Traffic Control Concepts for Incident Clearance 

We encourage comments and contributions to these primers and other FHWA Traffic Incident 

Management documents. Please feel free to contact our Emergency Transportation 

Operations Team at ETO@dot.gov with suggestions for future revisions. 

 Sincerely, 

 Jeffrey A. Lindley 

 Associate Administrator for Operations 
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TABLE OF CONTENTS 

QUALITY ASSURANCE ........................................................................... i

TECHNICAL REPORT DOCUMENTATION ............................................... ii

LETTER FROM ASSOCIATE ADMINISTRATOR OF OPERATIONS 

JEFFREY A. LINDLEY...................................................................... iii

TABLE OF CONTENTS ........................................................................... v

LIST OF FIGURES ................................................................................ vi

LIST OF TABLES .................................................................................. vi

1.0 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................. 1

Purpose of This Document ............................................................................... 1

Target Audience ............................................................................................... 2

Structure of this Guidebook .............................................................................. 3

2.0 LAWS / POLICIES........................................................................... 5

Move Over Laws ............................................................................................... 5

Move It (aka Steer It/Clear It) Laws .................................................................. 7

Authority Removal (aka Hold Harmless) and Authority Tow Laws .................. 8

Open Roads Policies ........................................................................................ 9

3.0 INCIDENT RESPONDERS .............................................................. 13

Operations Personnel ..................................................................................... 13

First Responders ............................................................................................ 13

Secondary Responders .................................................................................. 13

4.0 ASSIGNMENTS OF TRAFFIC CONTROL FUNCTIONS WITHIN 

THE INCIDENT COMMAND SYSTEM .............................................. 17

5.0 ROLE OF TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICES AS WARNINGS FOR 

APPROACHING TRAFFIC............................................................... 19

Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) ........................................................... 21

Vehicle Lights and Flares ............................................................................... 21

Arrow Panels .................................................................................................. 22

Changeable Message Signs .......................................................................... 23

Shadow Vehicles ............................................................................................ 24

Flaggers .......................................................................................................... 24

Signs ............................................................................................................... 26

Highway Advisory Radio................................................................................. 26

Traffic Cones and Barricades ......................................................................... 27

Emergency Vehicles ....................................................................................... 27

6.0 MONITORING AND ADJUSTING TRAFFIC CONTROL..................... 31

7.0 INCIDENT RECOVERY .................................................................. 33

8.0 MAINTENANCE OF TRAFFIC BEST PRACTICES ............................. 35

National Emphasis.......................................................................................... 35

Laws ............................................................................................................... 35

Expanding Role of Freeway Service Patrols .................................................. 35

Temporary Traffic Control Plan Guidance ...................................................... 35

v

Active Traffic Management ............................................................................. 36
vi

Planning, Cooperation and Coordination ....................................................... 37

Training ........................................................................................................... 39

9.0 REFERENCES AND FURTHER READING ........................................ 41

Other Suggested Readings ............................................................................ 43

LIST OF FIGURES 

Figure 1. Component Parts of a Temporary Traffic Control Zone ....................... 20

Figure 2. Arrow Board Displays ........................................................................ 22

Figure 3. Traffic Control Example of the Use of a Truck Mounted Arrow Board 23

Figure 4. Flagging Methods ................................................................................ 25

Figure 5. Incident Management Signs ................................................................ 26

Figure 6. Photo Example of Safe Parking ........................................................... 28

Figure 7. North Carolina DOT Emergency Responder Highway & Interstate 

Safety Reference Card ....................................................................................... 29

Figure 8. FDOT District 4 Service Incident Response Vehicle.

 ........................... 39

 LIST OF TABLES 

Table 1. Typical Roles and Responsibilities of Potential Response Agencies .... 14

Table 2. Typical Roles and Responsibilities Within the UC Structure ................. 18
1.0 INTRODUCTION 

The surface transportation system is crucial to our quality of life and economic 

wellbeing by moving people, goods and services in a safe, efficient, and orderly 

manner. Unfortunately, the development of the road system has not kept up with 

growing demands and this has resulted in congestion, delays, and negative 

environmental impacts. These adverse conditions are magnified when incidents 

occur that further the degradation of traffic flow and increase the safety risk for the 

traveling public as well as the incident responders. While much has and is being 

done to address and improve safety, over 6.4 million vehicle crashes occur annually.1

The severity of the reported incidents range from inconvenience and minimal 

property damage to multi-vehicle, multi-fatality, major structural damage and 

threatening hazardous cargo materials spills. While each crash is unique and has a 

varied impact on the travel and safety of others, they must all be safely cleared; and 

they must be cleared as quickly as possible to minimize the exposure of potential 

harm for the victims, the first responders, and the motorists traveling through the 

crash location. 

Traffic incident management (TIM) deals with reducing congestion and improving 

safety for all concerned. The focus of incident management is to develop procedures, 

implement policies, and deploy technologies, not only to identify incidents more 

quickly, but to improve response times and manage the incident scene more 

effectively and efficiently. Traffic control is the element of scene management that 

helps to secure the scene, protects other motorists, and allows first responders the 

opportunity to safely deploy the necessary actions. Normally, law enforcement, firerescue, and / or transportation service patrols are those first on the scene and 

charged with the responsibility to implement immediate traffic control. As with any 

emergency situation, these professionals must use whatever is available to them at 

the moment, highlighting the importance that they carry the right tools and have the 

necessary training to safely implement the traffic control under time-limiting 

conditions. It is also equally important to adapt the traffic control needs as conditions 

change if a longer time period is required before the situation can return to normal. 

Under the incident command system (ICS), traffic control allows responders to safely 

meet the present needs, but also be sensitive to the delays and impacts to the 

traveling public. 

Purpose of This Document 

The purpose of this document is to provide a general overview of the practice of 

traffic control activities associated with incident management and describe various 

conceptual traffic control elements. Various state laws and policies are in place for 

the purpose of addressing the safe, quick clearance of incidents. All potential 

responders have responsible roles in providing immediate and emergency traffic 

control, with these actions coordinated through the ICS team commander, to 

eliminate confusing or conflicting actions. 

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The traffic control elements and applications dealing with incidents can be found in 

Part 6 of the Manual on Unified Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD).2

 Should an 

incident be expected to exceed a 30 minute time frame, the required traffic control 

should replicate, as much as feasibly possible, the requirements of an applicable 

temporary work zone set-up as found in the MUTCD or comparable state documents. 

This approach is based on the proven concept that traffic control applications should 

be in sync with driver expectancy. The MUTCD as well as state and local 

government supported manuals address the expected standards for all the various 

types of work zone traffic control requirements, including emergency incidents. The 

MUTCD has either been adopted as the state standard or serves as the framework 

for individual state manuals. In addition to these guidelines, there are a number of 

supporting enhancements to assist and improve the reach of traffic control efforts 

with the goal of improving safety and facilitating the quick clearance of incidents. 

Target Audience 

The information provided in this guidebook is directed toward operations personnel, 

and first and secondary responders who are responsible for establishing, 

maintaining, monitoring, modifying, and removing any traffic control at an incident 

scene. 

Operations personnel are typically associated with departments of transportation 

whose response priorities focus on restoration of normal traffic flow. They may 

implement on-scene traffic control strategies for quick clearance and, once 

preliminary traffic control is in place, support clean-up and recovery efforts so that the 

scene is cleared and traffic delays are minimized. These personnel may be dedicated 

to providing emergency traffic control and intervention, such as the freeway service 

patrol staff, or in-house staff, such as maintenance personnel, whose skills include 

providing traffic control for routine operations. The information will benefit this group 

by providing them with an understanding of available techniques and devices for onscene traffic control. It will also highlight the benefits of proper incident scene traffic 

control. 

First responders are just that—the first individuals to arrive at the incident scene. 

They provide the initial response to assist crash victims and isolate and protect the 

scene by implementing immediate traffic control. First responders typically include 

law enforcement, fire-rescue, and emergency medical service. Their priority is the 

safety of motorists, victims, and other responders; their attention is directed to traffic 

flow only after addressing immediate life threatening needs. The information in this 

guidebook will provide first responders with a basic understanding of the need to 

initiate traffic control to secure and protect an incident scene along with the 

responding personnel. 

Secondary responders are those individuals who take over certain incident scene 

responsibilities, such as traffic control set-up, from first responders and operations 

personnel; they are not generally first on the scene. Secondary responders provide 

support functions to assist in the incident response. Typically, their focus is traffic 

control and management. Operators at traffic management centers could also be 

included in this group. They can monitor and report immediate and adjacent traffic 

conditions to the on-scene responders. Some centers also have the capability to 
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identify and / or broadcast information on acceptable diversion routes. They could 

also be capable of remotely adjusting the timing of adjacent signals to address traffic 

flow. This group will be able to utilize the guidebook as a reference to the required 

maintenance of traffic from on-going scene control to the recovery of traffic control as 

the scene changes and clears. 

Structure of this Guidebook 

This guidebook is one in an Information Series on Traffic Incident Management Safe, 

Quick Clearance. This guidebook focuses on Traffic Control Concepts for Incident 

Clearance. Other guidebooks available in this information series deal with the 

following topics: 

• Traffic Incident Management in Construction and Maintenance Work 

Zones, 

• Hazardous Materials Spills in Incident Clearance, 

• Information Sharing for Traffic Incident Management, and 

• Traffic Incident Management Resource Management. 

This document discusses various aspects of traffic control for incidents with the focus 

on the traffic control roles and responsibilities of the responders as well as the safety 

of the responders and the motoring public. It also recognizes that active traffic 

management is necessary to meet the fluctuating needs of the incident scene and to 

minimize clearance and recovery time. Chapter 2 provides an overview of popular 

state laws and policies enacted to support safe, quick clearance. Chapter 3 

addresses the roles/responsibilities of the various categories of responders. Chapter 

4 looks at the assignment and responsibilities within the ICS team under the National 

Incident Management System. Chapter 5 discusses some of the available traffic 

control tools. Chapter 6 focuses on the affects on traffic control created by the 

dynamic nature of incident clearance; while Chapter 7 deals with the last stages of 

traffic control removal and recovery. Chapter 8 highlights some “best practices” to 

enhance traffic control implementation. Chapter 9 contains references and other 

suggested readings that were used to develop this guidebook. 
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2.0 LAWS / POLICIES 

In response to a growing number of first responder fatalities at incident sites, “move 

over” laws have been adopted by the majority of states to provide a buffer area 

between moving traffic and the responders. According to the National Law 

Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund more than 150 law enforcement officers were 

killed from 1997 to 2006, after being struck by vehicles along America’s highways.3

As of 2007, all but six states and Washington, D.C. had enacted some type of move 

over law. Information on this law by state can be found at 

http://www.moveoveramerica.com, a Web site sponsored by the National Safety 

Commission and its association members.3

There is also growing acknowledgement, given the volume of vehicle crashes, 

especially in the large metropolitan regions, that there are not enough resources 

available to physically respond to every incident scene in a timely manner. The intent 

of “Move It” or “Steer It/Clear It” laws is to reduce the demand on first responder 

resources and provide for quick clearance to reduce the impact on already congested 

roadways resulting from a relatively minor collision not requiring any other response 

besides law enforcement for the purpose of documenting the crash. Legislation has 

been passed in about half of the states establishing laws requiring drivers involved in 

minor property damage collisions (no injuries) to move the vehicles from the travel 

lanes, exchange information, and report the crash information through submission of 

a proper form.4

 

The laws referred to as “Authority Removal” or “Hold Harmless” Laws establish the 

authority of public agencies to immediately remove or cause to remove disabled / 

wrecked vehicles or split cargo blocking travel lanes by immediate means as well as 

indemnify the agencies from liability for any damage caused in the process of the 

removal. ”Authority Tow” laws are similar in objective as authority removal laws but 

they address tow service liability exemption if they are directed by law enforcement to 

remove the vehicles / cargo. 

In addition to this legislation, there is a proactive movement by various responder 

agencies to enter into interagency agreements, solidifying the commitment to work 

toward the goal of safe, quick clearance of incidents. These types of agreements are 

often referred to as “open road” policies. 

This section highlights some of the laws and the key points now in affect as well as 

some of the types of open road policies. 

Move Over Laws 

Motorists are increasingly being required to slow down or move over to adjacent 

lanes when they approach emergency or public service vehicles on the shoulder of 

the highway. At times, there can be conflicting goals during the management of an 

incident with respect to protecting people and property at the scene and maintaining 

traffic flow. Stopping traffic flow altogether may provide a safer area for personnel at 

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the incident scene, but this will often result in the unintended consequence of 

secondary crashes in the resultant traffic queue, some of which may be more severe 

than the original incident. Insufficient traffic control at the scene can compromise 

responders’ safety by placing them too close to vehicles moving at highway speeds. 

Requiring passing motorists to slow down or move over to an adjacent lane strikes a 

balance between providing a safer area in which responders may work and allowing 

traffic to continue to flow. 

Within the United States, almost all of the states have some form of move over law in 

which passing vehicles are required to slow down and/or safely move to an adjacent 

lane when approaching an authorized emergency vehicle that is parked or otherwise 

stopped on or next to a multilane highway. When lane changes are impossible, 

prohibited, or unsafe, requirements for speed reductions vary from what is 

considered “reasonable and proper” to specific reductions in miles per hour (e.g., 20 

mph). Authorized emergency vehicles typically include first responders, such as law 

enforcement and fire-rescue vehicles with flashing or rotating blue, white, or red 

lights. In some areas, “civilian” responders, such as courtesy / service patrols and 

tow trucks, are considered as authorized emergency vehicles and may also be 

entitled to the same protections under move over laws.4 

Move over laws support incident scene traffic control by: 

• Providing additional protection for incident responders and motorists 

at the incident scene, 

• Allowing safe traffic movement around or past the incident scene to 

aid in overall congestion recovery, 

• Reducing secondary crashes, and 

• Allowing the incident scene to be cleared more quickly. 

States whose move over laws include notes of particular interest include: Florida, 

Minnesota, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Wisconsin. Highlights for 

each state’s move over laws are presented below. This is a representative sample, 

not a comprehensive listing. 

Florida (Section 316.126)5 – Requires motorists to slow to a speed of 20 miles per 

hour (mph) below the posted speed limit when the speed limit is 25 mph or greater; 

or motorists must travel at 5 mph when the posted speed limit is 20 mph or less. 

North Carolina (Section 20-157)6

 – Includes department of transportation and public 

service vehicles to the list of vehicles for which move over law applies. 

Wisconsin (Section 346.072)7

 – Requires passing vehicles to slow down or move 

over when authorized emergency vehicles displaying visual signals are parked or 

standing on or within 12 feet of the roadway. 

Minnesota (Section 169.18)8

 – Requires motorists passing a parked emergency 

vehicle to reduce their speed and move to a lane away from the emergency vehicle; 

and provides penalties in the form of a surcharge equal to the amount of a fine 

imposed for a speed violation. 
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South Carolina (Section 56-5-1538)9

 – Requires motorists to slow down, proceed 

with caution, and change lanes when approaching stationary emergency vehicles 

displaying flashing red; red and white; blue; red and blue lights; or amber or yellow 

warning lights. 

Tennessee (Section 55-8-132)10 – Makes specific provisions for proceeding with 

caution and making lane changes when possible for stationary recovery vehicles and 

highway maintenance vehicles that are using authorized flashing lights. 

Move It (aka Steer It/Clear It) Laws 

Move It, or Steer It/Clear It, laws require motorists involved in crashes to take actions 

that support quick clearance initiatives. Traffic incidents are categorized as 

disablements, property damage only (PDO), and injury crashes. When involved in 

incidents, motorists are required to move their vehicles from the travel lanes if they 

are able to do so. The intent of move it laws is to relocate disabled vehicles from the 

through lanes where they could be in danger of being struck, perhaps again, or 

otherwise worsening the original incident scenario. If the vehicles can be moved to 

the shoulder, or otherwise off the roadway, the incident scene is safer for everyone 

and traffic flow is less impaired. 

Move it laws vary in their application with regard to the extent of disablement and 

severity of each incident. Some laws require vehicle relocation only for PDO crashes; 

while others go so far as to require relocation for all injury and fatal crashes. These 

laws also provide guidance for communication to authorities to begin the incident 

clearance process. 

Samples of the move it laws are presented below. This is a representative sample 

and not a comprehensive listing. 

Florida (Sections 316.027 & 316.061)5 – Requires that stopped motorists do not 

obstruct traffic more than necessary. If a damaged vehicle is obstructing traffic, the 

driver must make every reasonable effort to move the vehicle or have it moved so as 

not to obstruct the regular traffic flow. 

Connecticut (Section 14-224)11 – Requires that motorists involved in PDO accidents 

on limited-access highways immediately move their vehicle to a non-travel area 

adjacent to the accident site, if possible, without risk of further damage to property or 

injury to any person. 

Arizona (Section 28-674)13 – Allows the driver of a motor vehicle involved in an 

accident, or any other occupant of the motor vehicle who possess a valid driver 

license, to remove the motor vehicle from the main travel portion of the roadway to a 

safe location on the shoulder, emergency lane, or median, if a motor vehicle traffic 

accident occurs and serious physical injury or death is not apparent and if both of the 

following apply: 

1. The motor vehicle can be moved safely. 
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2. The motor vehicle is capable of being normally and safely driven, 

does not require towing, and can be operated under its own power in 

its customary manner without further damage or hazard to the motor 

vehicle, to traffic elements, or to the roadway. 

The motorist involved in a traffic accident may request any person who possesses a 

valid driver’s license to remove the motor vehicle, and the person requested to 

remove the motor vehicle may comply with the request. 

The driver or any other person removing a motor vehicle from the main traveled 

portion of the roadway before the arrival of a police officer is not liable or at fault 

regarding the cause of the traffic accident solely by reason of moving the motor 

vehicle. 

Authority Removal (aka Hold Harmless) and Authority Tow Laws 

 As of 2003, 14 states had passed authority removal (hold harmless) laws. These 

laws establish the authority of designated public agencies, including departments of 

transportation and state, county, and local law enforcement, to remove or cause to 

remove: 

• Driver-attended disabled or wrecked vehicles, 

• Spilled cargo or personal property blocking a travel lane, 

• Or otherwise creating a hazard to the flow of adjacent traffic.14

With the passage of authority removal laws and policies, incident responders can 

take an active and immediate role to restore the roadway to normal conditions 

without fear of damage liability claims since these laws indemnify the agency for 

damage caused in the removal process. Samples of the authority removal laws and 

policies are presented below. This is a representative sample and not a 

comprehensive listing. 

Tennessee (Section 54-16-113)15 – Authorizes the department of public safety, 

DOT, or local law enforcement to immediately remove or cause to be removed any 

disabled/ wrecked vehicle, spilled cargo, or other personal property obstructing traffic 

to an alternate location within the immediate vicinity. 

Rhode Island (Section 24-8-42)15 – Authorizes a public safety agency, if an 

emergency is created by a disabled/wrecked vehicle on a limited access facility, to 

remove or cause to remove the vehicle(s). The law also indemnifies the agency or its 

agents against damage claims incurred by the emergency measures used to remove 

the vehicle. 

Utah(Policy UDOT 06C-36)16 – Allows Incident Management Team (IMT) operators 

or other designees of the region to remove disabled vehicles that present a traffic 

hazard from the roadway. This written policy is supported in large part by the close 

association and relationship between UDOT and the Utah Highway Patrol. 
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There is also legislation that has extended the concept of protecting responders from 

potential damages to tow truck operators. These laws may be referred to as authority 

tow laws. This type of law may also direct the removal of the disabled vehicles or 

split cargo to some type of legal parking or storage area. In 2007, Georgia 

amended its Official Code to limit the damage liability of towing services if they are 

ordered to remove vehicles or obstructions from the roadway determined to be a 

threat to safety or to mitigate traffic congestion.17 Washington State is also 

considering this type of legislation. Other samples of authority tow laws are listed 

below. 

Oregon (Section 819.120)15 – Authorizes tow services to remove and take custody 

of disabled, abandoned or unattended vehicles that is in such a location that 

constitutes a hazard or obstruction to flowing traffic. The possible locations include 

vehicles parked so that any part of the vehicle extends within the paved portion of the 

travel lane, highway shoulder or bicycle lane of any freeway within a city limits during 

peak travel hours, within 1,000 feet of the area where a freeway exit or entrance 

ramp meets the freeway; or of any highway during daylight hours if the vehicle 

presents a clear danger. 

Virginia (Section 46.2-1212.1)15 – Allows law enforcement to remove a vehicle 

involved in a crash or experiencing a mechanical breakdown if the vehicle creates a 

traffic hazard and if the owner does not move it; this is at the expense of the owner. 

In the event of a crash or incident, law enforcement may require the removal, without 

the consent of the owner or carrier, of the vehicle, cargo, or other personal property 

that has been damaged or spilled within the right-of-way and is blocking the roadway. 

The owner and carrier of the removed / disposed vehicle, cargo, or personal property 

shall reimburse the department of transportation, state police, local law enforcement 

agency, and local public safety agencies for all costs incurred in the removal and 

subsequent disposition of the property. 

Open Roads Policies 

Open Roads policies formally state the agencies’ goals in partnership to remove 

vehicles, cargo, and debris from roadways with the intention of restoring safe, orderly 

traffic flow after motor vehicle crashes and other roadway incidents. These goals 

often include timeframes for incident clearance that start with the arrival of the first 

responding officer. Responding agencies have solidified their responsibility to do 

whatever is safe and reasonable to reduce the risk to responders, secondary 

crashes, and incident delays. It is generally recognized that vehicle or cargo damage 

may occur when clearing the roadway; however, the highest priority is given to 

restoring traffic to normal conditions. The accepted premise is that roadways should 

not be closed or restricted any longer than absolutely necessary. 

Such agreements, generally known as open roads policies, define agency 

responsibilities for incident response. For example, law enforcement agencies 

commit to performing investigations as quickly as possible and may require noncritical portions of the investigation to occur when lighter traffic conditions prevail. 

They agree to close only the travel lanes necessary to deal with the incident, and 

they work with transportation agencies to set up appropriate traffic control, establish 

alternate routes, and expedite traffic movement at the incident scene. Law 
10

enforcement may allow damaged vehicles to be relocated to accident investigation 

sites or other locations for safe completion of investigations. Departments of 

transportation in turn commit to responding with appropriate resources for traffic 

control and incident clean-up within specified time frames, ensuring safe work zones 

for responders and the motoring public. Transportation agencies may agree to have 

additional heavy equipment at their disposal to assist tow operators in quicker 

clearing of blocked lanes. Most importantly, these incident response partners commit 

to work together to ensure all motorist needs are being met in a safe, professional, 

and efficient manner. 

States with open roads policies include: Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Tennessee, and 

Washington. Highlights for each state are presented below. This is a representative 

sample, not a comprehensive listing. 

Florida18 – This agency agreement, between the Florida Department of 

Transportation and the Florida Highway Patrol, requires clearance of incidents from 

the roadway within 90 minutes with the understanding that more complex scenarios 

could require additional time. Research and training of advanced technologies, 

equipment, and methods for quickly re-opening blocked travel lanes is required. 

Georgia19 – This agreement was executed by the Georgia Governor on behalf of 

state incident response agencies. It provides guidance for the Metro Atlanta area in 

the quick, safe clearance of freeway traffic incidents. Agencies are required to work 

together to minimize traffic flow disruptions through implementation of initiatives from 

Metro Atlanta’s Traffic Incident Management Strategic Vision. The agreement 

authorizes establishment of local traffic incident management teams, requires formal 

training and certification for towing and recovery operators, and provides monetary 

incentives for quick (90 minute) clearance of incidents with significant traffic impacts. 

It also allows coroners and medical examiners to remove decedents’ bodies from the 

roadway to facilitate clearance whenever possible. 

Maryland18 – This interagency agreement, between Maryland State Highway 

Administration, Maryland Department of Transportation, and Maryland State Police, 

recognizes that clearance activities may damage vehicles or cargo, but places 

greater priority on public safety. This agreement has some discussion of liability 

acceptance to the extent that Maryland’s Tort Claims Act allows for damages. 

Personnel have the responsibility to reopen travel lanes as quickly as possible when 

it is safe to do so. 

Tennessee18 – There is an agreement between the Tennessee Department of Safety 

(DOS), Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP), Commercial Vehicle Enforcement (CVE), 

and Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) requiring expeditious crash 

investigations and allows for relocation of vehicles involved in non-injury collisions. 

The THP is authorized to call for wrecker services when zone wreckers do not have 

the capability to clear a crash; THP can also override owner requests for specific 

towing companies when this action is not expected to be the fastest response 

possible. CVE works actively with the trucking industry to encourage proper loading 

and operating procedures to minimize truck rollovers; and DOS includes information 

in the Driver’s Handbook and other publications. TDOT establishes policies and 
11

procedures to provide support at incident scenes. All agencies commit to work 

together for continuous improvement in their clearance practices. 

Washington20 – A joint operations policy statement between the Washington 

Department of Transportation and the Washington State Patrol requires agency 

mission and organizational alignment for data sharing, traffic management, 

coordinated public communications, traveler information, and incident response. It 

also encourages the use of technologies to expedite investigations. Incident 

command system (unified command) is established through this joint policy 

statement and it supports planning for planned and unplanned events. Specific 

requirements for commercial vehicle operations and security are provided along with 

outlines for new initiatives to reduce crashes. This policy statement requires 

comprehensive performance measurement and analysis. 
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3.0 INCIDENT RESPONDERS 

Identification of affected jurisdictions and agency responsibilities is critical for 

effective response to incidents. While involvement will vary depending on the scope 

and severity of an incident, each entity should be involved in the planning process so 

that each has a clear understanding of roles, responsibilities, resources, 

communications protocols, and other aspects of the incident management program. 

This is especially true when roles overlap; addressing all issues outside of an actual 

incident will reduce conflicts and confusion. 

Operations Personnel 

Operations personnel are typically associated with transportation departments whose 

response priorities focus on restoration of normal traffic flow. They may implement 

on-scene traffic control strategies for quick clearance and, once preliminary traffic 

control is in place, they support clean-up and recovery efforts so that the scene may 

be cleared and traffic delays minimized. 

First Responders 

First responders are those individuals who arrive first at the incident scene. They 

provide the initial response to assist crash victims while isolating and protecting the 

scene and responders by implementing immediate traffic control. First responders 

typically include law enforcement, fire-rescue, and emergency medical services 

(EMS). Their first priority is the safety of motorists, victims, and other responders; 

they have a secondary emphasis on resuming traffic flow. 

Secondary Responders 

Secondary responders are those individuals who take over certain incident scene 

responsibilities from operations personnel and first responders, such as traffic control 

set up. They are not generally first on scene and provide support functions to assist 

in the incident response. Typically their focus is traffic control and management. 

Table 1 indicates typical roles and responsibilities of incident responders. 

13
14

Table 1. Typical Roles and Responsibilities of Potential Response Agencies21

Response Agency Roles and Responsibilities 

Law Enforcement (state patrols, sheriffs, local police 

departments) 

● Assist in incident detection and verification 

● Determine severity of incident and condition of victims and 

relay information to dispatch 

● Isolate and secure incident scene 

● Provide emergency medical aid until help arrives 

● Serve as incident commander, as conditions warrant 

● Supervise scene clearance 

● Direct traffic 

● Conduct crash investigations 

Fire Rescue (career and/or volunteer fire departments) ● Protect and contain incident scene 

● Suppress fire 

● Rescue crash victims from damaged vehicles and treat 

injuries 

● Arrange transportation for injured 

● Provide initial hazardous material (HazMat) response and 

request additional clean-up resources 

● Serve as incident commander, as conditions warrant 

● Assist in incident clearance 

911 and Other Dispatch ● Receive 911 calls from land lines, cell phones, and call 

boxes 

● Dispatch appropriate response agencies 

EMS ● Provide advanced emergency medical care 

● Determine destination and transportation requirements for 

injured 

● Coordinate evacuation with fire, police, ambulance, or airlift 

● Stabilize and transport incident victims 

Department of Transportation (DOT) Personnel – 

Maintenance 

● Provide initial and short-term traffic control 

● Provide special equipment or resources as requested 

● Contain minor spills if possible 

● Coordinate with law enforcement regarding alternate routes 

● Coordinate personnel resources for DOT 

● Assess infrastructure damage 

DOT Personnel – Traffic Operations ● Assist in incident detection and verification 

● Operate intelligent transportation systems (ITS) field devices 

per approved response plans 

● Provide traveler information to public and media 

● Dispatch service patrols 

● Notify other agencies of incident as required 

DOT Personnel – Construction ● Similar duties as DOT maintenance personnel, but within 

work zone 

● Coordinate with contractor for traffic control and repairs 

Service Patrol (Public and Private) ● Assist in incident detection and verification 

● Secure incident scene 

● Assist with and relocate disabled vehicles 

● Provide emergency medical aid until help arrives 

● Provide containment of minor spills 

● Provide initial traffic control 
15

Response Agency Roles and Responsibilities 

Towing/Wrecker Services ● Protect victims’ property and safely remove vehicles from 

the scene when authorized 

● Remove debris from roadway 

● Clean up minor vehicle spills 

● Provide transportation for uninjured vehicle occupants 

● Provide minor repairs on scene 

● Serve as incident commander as conditions change from 

rescue to recovery 

Hazardous Material Responders ● Manage fluid spill cleanup 

Media/Information Service Providers ● Distribute traveler information via radio, television, internet, 

and 511 telephone services 

● Provide real-time information 

● Provide advance information regarding planned events and 

proper procedures 

Coroners/Medical Examiners ● Investigate fatalities 
16
4.0 ASSIGNMENTS OF TRAFFIC CONTROL 

FUNCTIONS WITHIN THE INCIDENT 

COMMAND SYSTEM 

The incident command system (ICS) is a federally adopted approach for the 

systematic management of all types of incidents. ICS provides clear procedures for 

inter-agency coordination and outlines roles and responsibilities for incident 

responders. Rather than just defining who is in charge, ICS provides the 

management structure for who is in charge of what. ICS allows agencies to work 

together using common terminologies and operating procedures. An important 

outcome of the use of ICS is that command personnel have a better understanding of 

other agencies’ priorities, leading to fewer conflicts and greater effectiveness of 

response. However, because of the many agencies involved in incident response, 

this is a process that is under continual attention and improvement. 

Unified command (UC) provides a management structure that allows agencies with 

incident responsibilities to work within an established set of common objectives and 

strategies that can include: 

• Agency assignments 

• Incident priorities 

• Assignment of agency objectives 

• Communications protocols 

• Knowledge of duties within agency responsibilities 

• Acquisition and allocation of materials and resources 

When applied effectively, UC benefits facilitate the ability of multiple agencies to work 

together, fostering a cooperative environment. Duplication of tasks can be avoided, 

and greater teamwork leads to efficiencies in response. UC allows all agencies with 

jurisdictional authority to provide managerial direction at an incident scene while 

maintaining a common set of objectives and strategies. 

Command staff report directly to the incident commander. The identity of this person 

actually depends on the priority of the mission at the time. Fire-rescue or EMS is 

typically in charge until the injured are treated and moved. Once priorities shift to 

investigation, law enforcement takes over. As the incident moves into cleanup/recovery, command can shift to the transportation agency or towing contractor. 

Personnel participate actively until they no longer have a role at the incident. During 

this process, other agencies have the opportunity to participate in decision-making 

and provide direction to their own personnel; however, overall charge resides in the 

incident commander. 

17
18

Table 2. Typical Roles and Responsibilities Within the UC Structure21 

 Incident Responder Role and Responsibilities 

Incident Commander ● Overall incident management 

● Has clear authority and knowledge of policies and 

procedures 

● Determines priorities and strategies 

● Coordinates operations 

Information Officer ● Develops and releases information to news media, 

incident personnel, and other appropriate 

organizations 

Liaison Officer ● Used during multi-jurisdictional incidents 

● Point of contact for representatives from other 

agencies 

● Contact for personnel from other agencies with roles 

in response support 

Agency Representatives ● Individuals assigned to the incident response from 

other cooperating agencies with delegated authority 

to make decisions on their agency’s participation at 

the incident 

Safety Officer ● Develops and recommends measures to assure 

personnel safety and assess unsafe/hazardous 

situations 

● Monitors incident operations and operational safety 

for incident responders 
5.0 ROLE OF TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICES AS 

WARNINGS FOR APPROACHING TRAFFIC 

An incident scene should be considered a temporary work zone: an area of impact 

that must be secured and that must be balanced with the need to control traffic flow. 

Reducing the incident duration is also important because that will reduce the risk of 

secondary incidents. There are various traffic control devices available to incident 

responders. Guidelines for application, use, and placement can be found in Part 6 of 

the MUTCD.2 Some of the devices are used during the initial traffic control as a 

temporary measure; others are set up with longer term traffic control in mind. 

Whatever their intended duration, these traffic control devices help to secure the 

incident scene and provide protection for incident victim, responders, and the 

motorists passing by the incident. 

Traffic control components at an incident, same as in standard maintenance of traffic 

work zones, can be broken into four major areas:2

• Advance warning area (advance warning signs, cones, flares, or 

emergency vehicles) 

• Transition area (strategic use of tapers) 

• Activity area (channelizing devices) 

□ Buffer space (protected by energy absorption or attenuation 

devices or official vehicles) 

□ Work or incident area (responders) 

• Termination area (strategic use of tapers) 

19
Figure 1. Component Parts of a Temporary Traffic Control Zone2

Buffer Space

(longitudinal)

provides protection for

traffic and workers

Buffer Space

(lateral)

provides

protection

for traffic

and workers

Buffer Space (longitudinal)

Shoulder Taper

Legend

Direction of travel

Termination Area

lets traffic resume

normal operations

Activity Area

is where work

takes place

Transition Area

moves traffic out

of its normal path

Advance Warning Area

tells traffic what to

expect ahead

Work Space

is set aside for

workers, equipment,

and material storage

Downstream Taper

Traffic Space

allows traffic

to pass through

the activity area

20
21

The traffic control setup calls for various types of devices and configurations within 

these zones. The following are some devices that are used either in the initial traffic 

control and/or for longer duration periods. 

Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) 

All responders, inclusive of fire-rescue personnel, emergency medical service (EMS) 

crews, law enforcement, department of transportation (DOT) personnel, and tow 

truck operators, face inherent risks when responding to an incident. For obvious 

reasons, including public recognition of roles and responsibilities, conspicuity, and 

personal safety, Section 6D.03 of the MUTCD2

 recommends that all workers should 

wear bright, highly visible clothing when working in or near moving traffic. This 

includes fire-rescue personnel, EMS crews, DOT personnel, law enforcement, and 

tow truck drivers. 

Federal regulation (23 CFR 634), in effect by November 24, 2008, mandates the 

requirement for all emergency responders working in the right-of-way of a federal-aid 

highway to wear high-visibility clothing that meets the requirements of American 

National Standards Institute (ANSI) / International Safety Equipment Association 

(ISEA) 107; 2004 edition class 2 or 3.22 

These new requirements stipulate entity specifics, type, minimum material coverage, 

color, retroreflective performance, and material dimensions and placement. 

Vehicle Lights and Flares 

Flashing lights (red, white, amber, blue, and / or green) on emergency vehicles are 

used to enhance the safety of response personnel and incident victims and are 

essential in the initial response stage. The National Highway Traffic Safety 

Administration and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration of the Federal DOT 

have the authority to establish these vehicle lighting requirements; however, the 

allowable light colors for emergency response vehicles are normally spelled out in 

individual state code. 

Warning light applications are being advanced with the development of light emitting 

diode technology and include relatively new features, such as wig-wag, oscillating, 

and strobe capabilities. There are also a limited number of states, such as Texas, 

that allow blue auxiliary lights along with standard amber lights on DOT maintenance 

and freeway service vehicles used in high-risk activities.23

Flashing lights, high–intensity rotating, flashing, oscillating, or strobe light systems, 

mounted outside as well as inside emergency response vehicles, provide visibility 

and give immediate information to the traveling public of an emergency situation. 

However, once at the scene, and as the traffic control is being addressed, it is 

recommended that only amber, rather than red color, warning lights be used and that 

the number of lights be minimized to avoid creating a glare for motorists and reduce 

“rubber necking” behavior.24 

There is also evidence that suggests too many warning lights can be confusing to 

drivers. Flashing lights should, therefore, be used with discipline and discretion to 
minimize the impact on traffic flow. Their use should be reduced once good traffic 

control is established at the incident scene with particular attention to forward-facing 

emergency lighting, especially on divided highways. 

In addition to using emergency vehicle placement as an initial traffic control setup, 

the responders should carry enough emergency flares that can be used to set up a 

temporary lane closure taper until other efforts, such as traffic cones, can be placed. 

Flares are especially useful in night time incidents to warn motorists of lane changes 

as the bright red lights of the flares tend to visually merge. They also can be used to 

supplement the visibility of traffic cone placement under night conditions. When the 

flares are placed near the cones, they not only warn up stream traffic, but the light 

also illuminates the cones.24 

Arrow Panels 

Arrow boards are additional advance warning traffic control devices used where a 

lane(s) is closed and traffic must merge with other traffic in an adjacent lane. The 

effective placement of arrow boards is contingent on sight visibility; attention must be 

paid to the road geometry and speed of the roadway when determining placement. 

For multiple lane closures, the arrow board should be placed at the beginning of the 

taper. Figure 2, taken from the MUTCD, shows the various panel displays that are 

acceptable. However, there are restrictions on the use of an arrow board on a twolane, two-way highway; only the “Caution” display should be used for this type of 

facility.2 

Figure 2. Arrow Board Displays2 

Operating Mode

I. At least one of the three following modes

shall be provided:

Flashing Arrow

Panel Display (Type C panel illustrated)

(Right arrow shown; left is similar)

Move/Merge Right

Sequential Arrow

Sequential Chevron

II. The following mode shall be provided:

Flashing Double Arrow

III. The following mode shall be provided:

Flashing Caution

Move/Merge Right

Move/Merge Right

Move/Merge Right or Left

Caution Caution

or

While trailer mounted arrow boards are required for certain work zone traffic control 

setups applicable to intermediate and long term incident traffic control, the immediate 

availability of the boards and transport to the scene of an incident can be a logistical 

22
issue. Some DOTs are now mounting arrow boards on their maintenance or other 

work vehicles, not only for use in routine maintenance activities, but also to have 

immediately available for emergency response. These vehicle mounted boards can 

be used to provide supplemental displays to support traffic control. Some of the 

devices have the capacity not only to display the arrows, but also text and other 

symbol messages. It is important that the responders receive training in the actual 

operational requirements of the arrow board as well as in the development of 

appropriate message sets to fully utilize the available board functions at the incident 

scene. 

Figure 3. Traffic Control Example of the Use of a Truck Mounted Arrow Board25

Changeable Message Signs 

Changeable message signs (CMS), either portable or those placed permanently at 

critical major decision points of the road system, can be used to provide notice and 

information, such as lane changes and available alternate routes as well as to alert 

motorists to detour or expect delays in advance of the incident. The earlier the 

information can be provided, the greater the opportunity to reduce traffic demand at 

and approaching the scene as well as reduce motorist frustration. Because these 

signs are a powerful communication means with motorists, information should be as 

real-time as possible. The portable trailer mounted CMS can be procured with remote 

communication capabilities, such as cell phone, radio, or internet; the permanent 

signs are normally operated via a traffic management center. While the CMS text 

capability is limited as to the amount of information provided, this form of 

communication is very effective. Information relayed can include: 

• Specific incident location 

• Expected incident duration 

• Alternate route details 

• Diversion directions, including non-standard motorist actions (such 

as temporarily driving on the shoulder) 2

23
24

States such as Minnesota have developed and published guidelines to assist 

determining the appropriate use as well as appropriate and consistent incident 

management message development.26 

Shadow Vehicles 

Heavy trucks or trailers, often with rear-mounted energy adsorption attenuation 

equipment, become a traffic control device when parked to protect a work zone or 

incident area. It should be placed with the traffic 100 to 250 feet up-stream from the 

incident work space with the wheels cut toward the shoulder. It should not be 

occupied by anyone as its purpose is to protect the work area by taking any hit before 

an errant vehicle can enter the zone where people may be otherwise unprotected.24 

Flaggers 

Initially, manual traffic control may have to be provided by qualified trained personnel 

during the initial phase of the response; this is normally the responsibility of the 

responding law enforcement personnel, but could also be other emergency 

responders, such as DOT or freeway service patrols, fire or tow operators. Flagmen 

may be used to guide traffic when: 

• Travel lanes are partially blocked, 

• Shoulder must be used to pass by the incident, or 

• Only one direction of traffic is available. 

It is important that the flag person knows to always face traffic and direct the traffic 

away from and safely around the incident, using large, extended, and consistent 

gestures to convey the required actions to drivers.2 
Figure 4. Flagging Methods2

900 mm

(36 in)

600 mm

(24 in)

600 mm

(24 in)

450 mm (18 in)

MIN.

TO STOP TRAFFIC

STOP/SLOW Paddle Red Flag

TO LET

TRAFFIC PROCEED

TO ALERT AND

SLOW TRAFFIC

PREFERRED METHOD EMERGENCY SITUATIONS ONLY

These responders should be properly trained. While some agencies, such as DOTs, 

offer their own flagger training and certification program, the most common 

commercially available programs are offered through the American Traffic Safety 

25
Services (ATSSA) and the National Safety Council. ATSSA also offers training 

specifically for law enforcement personnel. 

A resource for additional information on individual state requirements and available 

courses and programs is the National Work Zone Clearing House Web site available 

at http://wzsafety.tamu.edu/training/flagger_training.

27 

The Towing and Recovery Association of America also offers a three level National 

Driver Certification for tow truck operators, which includes incident management 

training.28 

Signs 

First responders such as DOT personnel, law enforcement, and fire-rescue, may also 

carry flexible, roll-up signs with specific incident messages that can be set up quickly 

using portable light weight spring stands at an incident site. The color of fluorescent 

pink has been designated as an option to orange by the MUTCD as the color to 

indicate an emergency incident. However, there are some jurisdictions, such as the 

state of Minnesota, that continue to use orange colored signs and have not adopted 

the fluorescent pink signs.29 At locations where there are historically recurring 

incidents, there may be consideration to permanently mount this type of roadside 

signage that only has to be uncovered during the time of an incident. The signs for 

incident management may be of the mesh or fabric type. Chapter 6I of the MUTCD2

has details on specific roll-up sign designs for incidents. They have a black legend 

and are on a fluorescent pink background. Incident responders can carry these signs 

in their vehicles and have them available during the initial traffic control setup. Cones, 

barricades, and other devices are supported by signs when informing motorists of 

actions needed to merge or otherwise adjust for lane tapers and closures. 

Figure 5. Incident Management Signs2

M4-8a M4-9 M4-10

W3-4 W4-2 W9-3 E5-2a

Highway Advisory Radio 

Highway advisory radio (HAR) may be a portable AM unit brought out to the incident 

scene or a permanent roadside installation that can be used to disseminate incident 

26
27

information in advance of an incident so that motorists can adjust their travel choices 

and avoid any traffic queue resulting from the incident. Remote communication links 

to the HAR allow the operators the ability to activate and modify the broadcast 

messages as required for the incident. Like the CMS, HAR is most effective for 

motorists who are still at least one interchange or other decision point away from the 

scene of the incident. The earlier information can be provided, the greater the 

opportunity to reduce traffic demand at and approaching the scene as well as reduce 

motorist frustration. HAR message content is similar to that shown on CMS, except it 

can be provided in much greater detail. HAR cannot, however, always be relied upon 

because not all motorists will tune in to the emergency broadcasts. There are also 

issues regarding the range and quality of broadcast because of a variety of 

interference factors. 

Traffic Cones and Barricades 

Traffic cones and barricades are used to set up lane closures and their associated 

tapers to control traffic moving past the incident scene.2

 Incident responders may be 

able to carry a limited amount of cones or barricades; however, the “standard” 

amount needed for regulation tapers and closures usually arrives when transportation 

agency personnel arrive on-scene to support with longer-term lane closures. The 

“standard” length of taper and placement of the cones and barricades are dictated by 

the offset (or width of the required shift of the traffic lane) and speed of the facility as 

prescribed in normal work zone directives. Such a set up is normally required if, in 

the judgment of the ICS team commander, the estimate of the affect on the travel 

lanes will exceed a 30 minute time frame. 

Cones may be carried as standard equipment by first responders. Since limited 

storage is a consideration, one solution to carrying this device is to use the 

“collapsible” cones, cones that can be compressed for storage and “pop up” to the 

correct height when needed.24

Emergency Vehicles 

Emergency vehicles may be parked in such a way as to protect incident responders 

and secure the scene before more permanent traffic control devices arrive. However, 

the vehicles should be placed in a way that minimizes their impact on traffic flow. 

Preferably all emergency vehicles should be parked on the same side of the 

roadway, in the same direction of the incident. For example, law enforcement and 

fire-rescue vehicles can be parked to provide some security for the incident scene; 

however, if they unnecessarily block lanes, they will cause significant disruption to 

traffic flow and lengthen the time needed to restore normal traffic flow. As soon as 

these vehicles complete their response function, the incident commander can require 

their relocation out of the travel lanes 
Figure 6. Photo Example of Safe Parking 

North Carolina DOT has developed a convenient Emergency Responder Reference 

Card30 which provides a quick reference to how and where emergency vehicles 

should be parked at the scene. Tools such as these are extremely helpful as a 

reminder especially for new first responders or when there is confusion in the field. 

28
Figure 7. North Carolina DOT Emergency Responder Highway & Interstate Safety 

Reference Card30

29
30
6.0 MONITORING AND ADJUSTING TRAFFIC 

CONTROL

On-scene traffic control needs can change dynamically as the response efforts 

progress. The first priority upon arrival is to establish initial traffic control to provide a 

safe work area for responders and minimize chances of secondary crashes. As 

resources with traffic control devices/equipment arrive, the traffic control can be 

adjusted to a more “standard” format. Traffic management hierarchy at an incident 

scene includes: 31

• Establishing initial traffic control, 

• Managing roadway space by opening and closing lanes, 

• Blocking the area of the scene needed for victim and responder 

safety, 

• Parking vehicles to minimize impacts, 

• Deploying personnel to assist, 

• Using intelligent transportation systems (ITS) field devices as 

support, and 

• Using detour routes when necessary. 

Traffic control device placement is impacted by the expected duration of the incident. 

Upon arrival, responders should make an estimate of the magnitude of the incident 

and then estimate an expected duration for recovery; traffic control can then be set 

up based on this estimate. Expected durations of an incident are defined as follows: 2

• Minor – Under 30 minutes 

• Intermediate – From 30 minutes to 2 hours 

• Major – Over 2 hours 

Responders without the understanding of basic traffic control concepts may prefer to 

block all lanes, which may unintentionally increase the chances of secondary 

crashes. A preferred sequence would be to go from full roadway closure to directional 

lane closure to multiple lanes to single lane and to shoulder closure until the incident 

is fully resolved and traffic flow returns to normal. 

The roadway lane closure must be managed so that only the lanes absolutely 

necessary for protection of the responders and victims are closed. Every effort should 

be made to minimize the times these lanes are closed. The number of closed lanes 

may change several times during clearance efforts, so traffic control needs to be 

established and then monitored/changed to fit changing conditions. 

Traffic control devices need to be adjusted, as warranted and as conditions change, 

by personnel familiar with their use. Incident responders responsible for traffic 

management need to stay informed about recovery operations, and they need to 

31
32

continually assess incident impacts on traffic flows and monitor the traffic queues. 

Incident responders need to pass this information on to traffic management center 

staff, charged with passing this information on to motorists. On-scene traffic control 

needs can change dynamically as the response efforts progress. As resources with 

traffic control devices/equipment arrive, the traffic control can be adjusted to a more 

“temporary work zone” format. 

Alternate routes can be used when necessary. For example, they may be used with 

full roadway closure, in either or both directions, especially when long duration 

closures are expected, such as when there is roadway or structural damage. 

Agencies that implement detour/alternate routes need to be engaged in the planning 

process and be knowledgeable of the implementation procedures. Traffic control may 

also be needed on these detour/alternate routes because of abnormal traffic 

conditions as vehicles divert around an incident in search of a less congested way to 

travel. 
7.0 INCIDENT RECOVERY 

Reducing incident clearance times has the greatest potential benefit in reducing 

overall incident recovery times. Responders can take a number of actions that, when 

taken together, can have positive impacts on closure times: 31

• Immediately move vehicles that can move under their own power 

• Give responders push bumpers to expedite clearance 

• Open individual lanes as they are cleared 

• Try to systematically clear from left to right and move to the right 

shoulder 

• Ensure correct resources are dispatched and used 

• Encourage responders to remove debris to reopen lanes 

• Use absorbents or other accepted methods to remove small spills 

• Require wreckers to move quickly with proper equipment and 

training 

• Expedite cargo recovery efforts in travel lanes 

• Encourage investigating agencies to do their work quickly since 

roadway closures may not always be needed, or they may be of 

short duration 

When responders work systematically, they can follow a logical roadway closure 

sequence, as previously discussed. They can follow this straightforward process: 

• Extricate trapped victims 

• Make the site safe by eliminating hazardous conditions 

• Investigate crash and collect evidence 

• Clear site by removing debris, wreckage, etc. 

Upon arrival at a scene, first responders should position their vehicles upward from 

the scene at a point most effective to warn motorists of the incident. This should be 

done with forward facing emergency lighting activated and in a manner to protect 

both the first responder as well as assist in diverting traffic away from the incident 

scene. Fire-rescue should block as few lanes as possible, while protecting personnel. 

Once their task is completed, they should immediately remove their apparatus from 

the travel lane. 

As the scene compresses, responders should move their vehicles closer to the 

incident to reduce the size of the scene. When the incident is cleared and the 

responders are finalizing paperwork they should move their vehicles as far off the 

roadway as possible with all emergency lighting disengaged to prevent traffic from 

slowing. By doing this, responders reduce the potential for a secondary accident. If it 

is not possible for responders to safely move their vehicles off to the side and out of 

33
34

the travel lanes, then they should relocate to an off-site location to complete the 

required paperwork. 
8.0 MAINTENANCE OF TRAFFIC BEST 

PRACTICES 

National Emphasis 

The United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) has launched an 

aggressive campaign to promote congestion reduction; incident management is a key 

focus to achieving this goal. The USDOT Secretary’s initiative is titled,” A National 

Strategy to Reduce Congestion on America's Transportation Network."32 As has been 

referenced, part of this initiative includes such efforts as the driver removal laws and 

strategies to speed the clearance of collisions for non-injury crashes accounting for 

more than half of all reported crashes as referenced in Chapter 2. 

Laws 

Chapter 2 of this guidebook addresses the move it and move over laws that focus on 

the proactive actions by drivers. Both types of laws are designed to minimize the 

exposure of risk to first responders in the line of duty and the risk to the motoring 

public involved in minor non-injury crashes. 

Expanding Role of Freeway Service Patrols 

The initiative also promotes service patrol capabilities. Full function service patrols, 

when properly equipped, can offer support in implementing the traffic control 

functions required at the scene in a timely manner. As an example, in addition to its 

other service patrol duties, Georgia’s Highway Emergency Response Operators 

Program, is charged with quickly and proactively removing lane-blocking incidents.33

Another program of note is the Illinois Service Patrol, the Minute Men, which has 

been a model since 1961, providing incident response support in addition to assisting 

disabled vehicles.31 Maryland’s Coordinated Highways Action Response Team 

Program utilizes emergency response units to set up overall traffic control at accident 

locations.34 

Temporary Traffic Control Plan Guidance 

Traffic control guidelines for incidents are addressed in Part 6 of the Manual of 

Unified Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD)2

 or a similar state manual. The traffic 

control measures required for an incident are the same as for temporary work zones. 

Because of the emergency nature, in the initial phase of clearance, traffic control is 

normally done manually by the first responders using equipment such as a vehicle, 

flares, roll-up signs, flagging, etc. The placement and staging of the emergency 

vehicle response units must be coordinated to ensure efficiency and mobility to/from 

the site. If it is the judgment of the incident control system (ICS) commander that the 

time necessary to clear the incident may exceed 30 minutes, than a standard traffic 

control plan, as depicted in the MUTCD or state development manual or standard, 

will need to be implemented. In June 2006, in an effort to supplement the MUTCD, 

35
36

the Temporary Traffic Control Committee of the National Committee on Uniform 

Traffic Control Devices published its recommendations of traffic control management 

of incidents by type of highway incident, for possible inclusion in the MUTCD. While 

this guidance has not been included yet, it does provide guidance for traffic incident 

responders for various roadway configurations and different incident time frames.35 

Similar information can be found in documents such as the Guidelines for Emergency 

Traffic Control developed by the University of Kentucky, College of Engineering, and 

the Kentucky Transportation Center.36 This guideline goes through the basics of the 

MUTCD as well as identifying and addressing the four phases of traffic control. 

Phase 1—Provide immediate traffic control 

Phase 2—Establish the traffic control 

Phase 3—Monitor and adjust 

Phase 4—Hand off or removal 

Several entities have simple, but formal, reference documents dealing with traffic 

control. An example of this is the Work Zone Traffic Control Guidance developed by 

Washington State Department of Transportation for frequent types of emergency 

incidents. The prepared guidance addresses the adjustment to the traffic control 

contingent on various scenarios. 37 

Active Traffic Management 

Traffic flow can be impacted beyond the incident scene, especially when alternate 

detours are on the surface roadway system and should be addressed. Because the 

diversion can affect normal volume and traffic patterns, especially at signalized 

intersections where jurisdictions have a signal network operated by central software, 

the timings can be modified remotely during the diversion period. One example of this 

additional support is the City of Scottsdale, Arizona. The city operates a centrally 

located computerized traffic signal system, monitoring approximately 300 traffic 

signals. Their system allows the operators to make changes to the signal timing when 

unexpected traffic incidents affect the road system. 38

Another innovative example of addressing the traffic flow needs on surface streets is 

the City of Houston’s Mobility Response Team. While most efforts for safe, quick 

clearance and traffic control have been focused on the freeway system, the City of 

Houston has supplemented the local incident management program within the city by 

creating a team of trained “service officers,” dispatched from the Houston regional 

traffic management center, TranStar, to respond to and lessen the effects of the 

impact of significant traffic congestion resulting from malfunctioning traffic signals, 

crashes, and other mobility issues by providing traffic control and direction on the city 

streets. This program is a partnership between the Public Works Section and the 

Houston Police Department.39 
37

Planning, Cooperation and Coordination

Because of the nature of incidents, each is different and the set of responders will 

vary by the nature and location of the event; traffic control needs will vary with the 

clearance activities of the responders. Improvements in planning, cooperation, and 

coordination between responding agencies as well a mutual understanding of the 

various roles and responsibilities of the each agency can significantly improve the 

response and implementation time of the required traffic control. 

At the national level, the National Traffic Incident Management Coalition40 consists of 

the following member associations that also serve as important resources regarding 

the advancement and applications within the field of traffic incident management: 

• American Automobile Association 

• American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials 

• American Public Transportation Association 

• American Traffic Safety Services Association 

• American Transportation Research Institute 

• Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials International 

• Cumberland Valley Volunteer Firemen’s Association 

• Federal Highway Administration 

• I-95 Corridor Coalition 

• Institute of Transportation Engineers 

• International Association of Chiefs of Police 

• International Association of Fire Chiefs 

• International Association of Fire Fighters 

• International Fire Service Training Association 

• International Municipal Signal Association 

• ITS America 

• National Association of State EMS Officials 

• National Emergency Number Association 

• National Fire Protection Association 

• National Volunteer Fire Council 

• Towing and Recovery Association of America 

• Transportation Research Board 

• U.S. Fire Administration 

There are also several regional or corridor coalitions that promote, educate, and 

advocate for improved traffic incident management. Active participation in these 

coalitions strengthens local response capabilities. Some examples of these regional 

coalitions and their activities include: 

State of Washington – In 2007, the Washington State Department of Transportation 

joined with the Washington State Patrol to form a Traffic Incident Management 
38

Coalition focusing on state-specific traffic incident management needs. The Coalition 

members include the Washington State Firefighter’s Association, American 

Automobile Association, Washington State Department of Transportation, 

Washington State Police, and the Towing and Recovery Association of Washington. 

One of the initial actions of this Coalition was to hold a statewide conference bringing 

together all of the stakeholders and initiating interagency dialog.41 

State of Wisconsin – Under the leadership of the Wisconsin Department of 

Transportation, the Traffic Incident Management Enhancement program is comprised 

of multiple stakeholders that have joined forces and are dedicated to fostering and 

improving incident management response. Initiated in 1995, in the Southeast region 

of the state, the program has since been expanded to include the entire state.42

I-95 Corridor Coalition –Members of the I-95 Corridor Coalition include state and 

local departments of transportation, transportation authorities, transit and rail 

agencies, port authorities, motor vehicle agencies, state police/law enforcement, 

regional transportation organizations, US Department of Transportation, 

transportation industry associations, and Canadian affiliates along the I-95 corridor 

from Florida to Maine. This Coalition fosters the coordinated traffic control response 

of the various traffic management, law enforcement, fire, safety and emergency, or 

other incident management personnel intra- and inter-state. The Coalition allows a 

forum for these stakeholders to meet regularly to discuss and critique how to manage 

incidents and emergencies more effectively. An Information Exchange Network 

Clearinghouse is offered through a Coalition workstation that shares incident and 

traveler information with member agencies along the corridor. 43

Availability and Use of Traffic Control Devices 

Maryland – In addition to service patrols, Maryland operates emergency response 

units that are used to set up overall traffic control at accident locations. They utilize 

freeway incident traffic management trailers pre-stocked with the necessary traffic 

control devices, such as signs, cones, and trailblazers, to facilitate the timely set up 

of the necessary traffic control for incidents requiring a full roadway closure.44 

Florida – The Florida Department of Transportation’s (FDOT) District 4 (Fort 

Lauderdale / Palm Beach) service incident response vehicle (SIRV) carries additional 

equipment and supplies for traffic control during major incidents. The vehicle also 

serves as an incident command post when fire rescue forces leave the scene. It 

brings portable radios for each responding agency’s incident commander. Once on 

the incident scene, SIRV staff contact the appropriate personnel to discuss and 

implement the necessary emergency maintenance of traffic.45 
Figure 8. FDOT District 4 Service Incident Response Vehicle.

 

Texas – The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County has also adapted a 

commercial bus to serve as a mobile command post for major incidents. This bus is 

outfitted with video transmission ability so that live incident and traffic conditions can 

be sent back to a traffic management center using wireless communication 

transmission during major incidents.46 

Training 

Best practices start with sound education training programs. While not intended to be 

an exhaustive list, some training resources available to the incident management 

community that focus on traffic control training and present the latest in traffic control 

approaches include: 

Florida – FDOT is developing a formal Maintenance of Traffic Training program for 

incident responders in Florida. Its purpose is to provide a standard of understanding 

and approach to various agency responders.24 

Texas – North Central Texas Council of Governments offers an extensive training 

program dealing with freeway incident management. They offer courses tailored for 

responders, managers, and executives. The content of these classes include detailed 

information and best practice techniques in operations and training, providing 

motorist information, detection and verification, response, site management, 

clearances, and traffic operations/management. 47

I-95 Corridor Coalition – A strong traffic control training program is one of the main 

focuses of the I-95 Corridor Coalition efforts. Information on the available training 

modules and videos, including a safe, quick clearance tool kit, can be found on the 

Coalition’s Web site at http://i95coalition.org.

43 The Coalition also conducts various 

workshops dealing with safe, quick clearance methods. This Web site has a wealth of 

information regarding incident management response 

39
40

Training for Tow Operators – Industry associations, such as the Towing and 

Recovery Association of America (TRAA), are also raising the bar and using their 

influence to promote good practices in implementing traffic control plans. TRAA, 

through a DOT grant, has developed a multiple level certification program for towers 

that includes incident management training.48

National Traffic Incident Management Coalition – This is a coalition of all the 

multidisciplinary agencies charged with the responsibility of incident management. 

The Coalition’s Web site, http://timcoalition.org/?siteid=41,

49 provides access to a 

number of traffic control guidance documents and courses, including information on 

the American Traffic Safety Services Association Emergency Traffic Control for 

Responders Course and the Safe and Effective Use of Law Enforcement Personnel 

in Work Zones as well as a one-day course offered by the International Fire Service 

Training Association, Guidelines for Highway Incident Scene Safety and Traffic 

Control. 

Incident Management Workshops – A popular and effective method of providing 

regional training and strengthening of partnerships among the various responders is 

the workshop. Several states, including Texas, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Missouri, 

have held traffic incident management workshops in 2007. Many of these are being 

done in conjunction with the departments’ of transportation Self-Assessment on 

Traffic Incident Management initiative.50 
9.0 REFERENCES AND FURTHER READING 

1. Car Accident Statistics. Available at www.car-accidents.com/pages/stats.html. 

2. US DOT, Federal Highway Administration. Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, 2003, 

2007 Revisions. Available at http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/. 

3. National Safety Commission. Move Over America. http://www.moveoveramerica.com. 

4. Federal Highway Administration. Traffic Incident Management Program, Quick Clearance. 

http://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/incidentmgmt/on_scene_ops/policies/quick_clearance.htm. 

5. 2008 Florida Statutes. Title XXIII, Chapter 316. Available at 

http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&U

RL=Ch0316/SEC126.HTM&Title=-%3E2008-%3ECh0316-%3ESection%20126#0316.126. 

6. North Carolina General Statutes. Chapter 20-157. Available at 

http://www.ncleg.net/enactedlegislation/statutes/pdf/bysection/chapter_20/gs_20-157.pdf. 

7. Wisconsin Statues. Section 346.072. Available at 

http://www.legis.state.wi.us/statutes/Stat0346.pdf. 

8. 2007 Minnesota Statutes. Chapter 169.18. Available at 

https://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/bin/getpub.php?pubtype=STAT_CHAP_SEC&year=2007

§ion=169.18. 

9. South Carolina Code of Laws (2007). Title 56, Section 56-5-1538. Available at 

http://www.scstatehouse.net/code/t56c005.htm. 

10. Tennessee Public Acts, 2006, Chapter 653, 55-8-132. Available at 

http://www.tennessee.gov/sos/acts/104/pub/pc0653.pdf. 

11. Connecticut Statutes. Chapter 248, Section 14-224. Available at 

http://www.cga.ct.gov/2005/pub/Chap248.htm#Sec14-224.htm. 

12. Justia US Laws 46.2-888 and 46.2-1212.1. Available at 

http://law.justia.com/virginia/codes/toc4602000/46.2-888.html and 

http://law.justia.com/virginia/codes/searchresults.html?q=46.2-

1212.1&sa=Search&cof=FORID%3A9&srt=Virginia&cx=001017683474852908061%3Aiuc0thdbyk#268. 

13. Arizona State Legislature, Forty-Eighth Legislature, Second Regular Session. Available at 

http://www.azleg.state.az.us/FormatDocument.asp?inDoc=/ars/28/00674.htm&Title=28&Doc

Type=ARS

14. Transportation Research Board. NCHRP Synthesis 318, Safe and Quick Clearance of Traffic 

Incidents, A Synthesis of Highway Practice, 2003. Available at 

http://tig.transportation.org/sites/aashtotig/docs/NCHRP_syn_318.pdf. 

15. I-95 Corridor Coalition. Removal / Move Laws (Driver and Authority). Available at 

www.i95coalition.org/Incident-toolkit/documents/Law/Law_MoveIt_XX.doc. 

16. Utah Department of Transportation. Rapid Clearance of Disabled Vehicles and NonHazardous Spilled Freight Loads (Policy UDOT 06C-36), 2007. 

17. Georgia General Assembly, HB 231. Available at 

http://www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/2007_08/pdf/hb231.pdf. 

18. Florida, Maryland, and Tennessee Open Roads Policies. Available at 

http://i95coalition.org/Incident-toolkit/documents/Policy/Policy_ORP_XX.pdf. 

19. Metro Atlanta TIM Task Force. Metro Atlanta Traffic Incident Management Strategic Vision 

Brochure. Available at http://timetaskforce.com/documents/strategic%20vision%20flier.pdf. 

41
42

20. Washington State Patrol and Washington State Department of Transportation. A Joint 

Operations Policy Statement. Available at http://www.i95coalition.org/Incidenttoolkit/documents/Policy/Policy_JOP_WA.pdf

21. US DOT, Federal Highway Administration. Simplified Guide to the Incident Command System 

for Transportation Professionals, FHWA-HOP-06-004, EDL Number 14234. Available at 

http://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/ics_guide/ics_guide.pdf. 

22. US DOT, Federal Highway Administration. Work Visibility, Final Rule. 23CFR Part 634. Available 

at http://www.workzonesafety.org/files/documents/laws_regulations/federal/nov_24_06.pdf. 

23. Gerald L. Ullman and Don Lewis. Texas DOT Vehicle Fleet Warning Light Policy Research, 

TRB Transportation Research E-Circular E-C013 Texas Transportation Institute, Texas A & 

M University and Texas Department of Transportation.

http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/circulars/ec013/1CUllman.pdf. 

24. Florida Department of Transportation and University of South Florida. Maintenance of Traffic 

Concept during a Traffic Incident, MOT Training for Incident Responders in Florida, Module 5. 

25. Photo from http://www.houstonpolicefoundation.com/attachments/wysiwyg/1/Arrow1.JPG.

26. Minnesota Department of Transportation. Guidelines for Changeable Message Sign (CMS) 

Use. http://www.dot.state.mn.us/trafficeng/otepubl/cms-use/cms-use-guidelines.pdf. 

27. National Work Zone Safety Clearing House. Available at 

http://wzsafety.tamu.edu/training/flagger_training. 

28. National Towing and Recovery Association of America. Driver Certification Program. 

Available at http://www.towserver.net/certification.htm. 

29. Minnesota Department of Transportation, Minnesota State Fire Marshal and Minnesota State 

Police. Highway Incident Management and emergency Traffic Control Equipment Guidelines. 

http://www.fire.state.mn.us/Response/EmergencyTrafficControl.pdf. 

30. North Carolina Emergency Response Reference Card provided by North Carolina 

Department of Transportation, State Maintenance Engineer. 

31. USDOT, “Traffic Incident Management Handbook” (2000)

http://www.itsdocs.fhwa.dot.gov/jpodocs/rept_mis/13286.pdf. 

32. USDOT. National Strategy to Reduce Congestion on America’s Transportation Network, May, 

2006. Available at http://isddc.dot.gov/OLPFiles/OST/012988.pdf. 

33. Georgia Hero Program. http://www.dot.state.ga.us/travelingingeorgia/Pages/hero.aspx, 

http://www.timetaskforce.com/directory/HeroUnit.pdf . 

34. http://www.chart.state.md.us/ChartSystem/incident.asp. 

35. Temporary Traffic Control Committee of the Uniform Manual on Traffic Control Devices. 

Technical Committee Recommendations, June 29, 2006. Available at 

http://www.transportation.org/sites/ntimc/docs/Typical%20Applications.pdf. 36. Kentucky Transportation Center, University of Kentucky. Guidelines for Emergency Traffic 

Control. Available at: 

http://highwaysafety.ky.gov/files/incident_management/guidelines_emergency_traffic_control.

pdf. 37. Washington State Department of Transportation. Work Zone Safety Resources. 

http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/biz/trafficoperations/workzone/resources.htm. 

38. City of Scottsdale, Arizona. Traffic Signal Control System. 

https://www.scottsdaleaz.gov/traffic/signssignals/traffic_signal_control_system.asp. 

39. Press Release, “Mayor Bill White, Police Chief Harold Hurtt Announce Pilot Phase of Mobility 

Response Team, July 5, 2007.” Available at 

http://www.houstontx.gov/mayor/press/20070705.html. 

40. National Traffic Incident Management Coalition. About. 

http://timcoalition.org/?siteid=41&pageid=2782. 

41. Washington Traffic Incident Management Coalition. http://watimcoalition.org/. 

42. Wisconsin Department of Transportation. http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/travel/stoc/time.htm. 

43. The Coalition Connection. http://www.i95coalition.org/. 

44. Maryland Department of Transportation, Office of CHART and ITS Development. Incident 

Management. http://www.traffic.md.gov/ChartSystem/incident.asp

45. SunGuide. Severe Incident Response Vehicle. http://www.smartsunguide.com/sirv.aspx.
43

46. Houston ITS Priority Corridor. 

http://www.itsdocs.fhwa.dot.gov/JPODOCS/REPTS_TE/projects/PCP-02.htm. 

47. North Central Texas Council of Governments. Freeway Incident Management Training. 

http://nctcog.org/trans/safety/FIM.asp. 

48. Towing and Recovery Association of America. http://www.towserver.net/. 

49. AASHTO, National TIM Coalition. http://timcoalition.org/?siteid=41. 

50. US DOT, Federal Highway Administration, Office of Operations. Traffic Incident Management 

Self-Assessment. http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/incidentmgmt/tim_selfassess.htm. 

Other Suggested Readings 

1. FEMA. “Draft Revised NIMS Document” (2007). 

2. Colorado Department of Transportation. Guidelines for Developing Traffic Incident 

Management Plans for Work Zones, (September 2003). 

3. Incident Management Successful Practices: A Cross-Cutting Study, April 2000, FHWAJPO-99-018, FTA-TRI-11-99-09, EDL #11484. 

4. Review of Current Traffic Incident Management Practices, AP-R297/07, Austroads 

(2007). 

5. Incident Management Coordination Team. Traffic Incident Management Recommended 

Operational Guidelines, March (2002). 

6. USDOT, “Intelligent Transportation Systems for Traffic Incident Management” (2007). 
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46

FHWA Office of Operations, HOTO 

1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE 

Washington, DC 20590 

http://ops.fhwa.dot.gov 

FHWA-HOP-08-057

January 2009

U.S. Department of Transportation 

Federal Highway Administration