Traffic Interruption Devices for Apparatus

[IzzyEng4 427]

I just read again this time involving FDNY Ladder 129 being in an accident. Too often we here if apparatus in NYC, Dallas, Miami-Dade, ect bring involved in MVAs.

We as apparatus drivers are always taught to use extreme caution and vigilance when we respond with our lights and sirens activated and a good number of accidents happen at lighted traffic controlled intersections.

So with that said, why haven't many departments start using Opticoms or the like to help assist in locking down lighted traffic controlled intersections to help curb down the accidents and near misses? Granted the driver of any vehicle is the sole person that should be vigilant about his/her surroundings and not be distracted (we don't need to argue that here again).

At work, all out apparatus utilize Opticoms for traffic control so the apparatus gets the green light and the other parts of the intersection are locked down in red. This aids in our response a lot.

Obviously these devices do not grant you the right to blow through an intersection with the green light at you. So what do you think? Should there be a push to have departments if they have a lot of intersections with stop lights to install Opticoms as a secondary means to help prevent apparatus accidents??

[Bnechis 3,961]

We tried to get opticom and found that the traffic engineer was very much against them and would not allow them even if we got a grant to pay for it. Then he got a grant for it and told us we would have to come up with a $60,000 match and we needed it fast. We got the match from private donations within 5 days. He told us that we were too late and he had turned the grant back.

Intersection control is at the discretion of local Public Works, county public works or state DOT (in our city all 3). Trying to put a system together with multiple agencies that do not care to do extra work for us is tough.

Also look at the St Loius intersection crash & roll over...It was a controlled intersection so just having them is not enough.

[v85 212]

I wish someone would talk to the auto manufacturers association and tell them to stop making sound-proof cabins. I don't understand how NHTSA let them get away with that to begin with

[antiquefirelt 994]

We looked into this for our area and had a decent discussion with Mike Wilbur regarding these systems. It appears that while they may reduce some higher speed apparatus accidents, they often lead to more passenger car minor accidents at the controlled intersections. People who travel the same route think they can anticipate the light change only to be "fooled" by the light controls an emergency vehicle approaches Wilbur's thought, IIRC, was that all apparatus should proceed safely enough to come to a complete stop if other drivers do not behave. Of course this puts all the responsibility back on the driver (and officer), but really isn't that where it should lie anyway? We have seen a number of significant apparatus accidents at controlled intersections where both operators maintained speed as they were convinced they had the control of the light. Nonetheless, we did not proceed any further. Just our research, of course we have far fewer intersections than most, but a pretty decent traffic issue on the warm months.

[JetPhoto 626]

First it takes money, then as stated cooperation with various highway dept's. You also need traffic control devices that can be modified for the device, many are old and expensive to replace. You also have to consider other agencies PD, EMS will they go for the set up? If not you risk 2 emergency vehicles meeting at the intersection 1 equipped with the device & 1 without.

The bottom line is don't expect the right of way to be given to you. slow down and "ask" for it.

http://www.fleetsafety.com/Whelen-Opticom-Emitter-Traffic-Light-Changer-877

[Danger 160]

We have some of our busiest intersections pre-empted and it works great. I wish we had a lot more. The Town of Poughkeepsie backs the three FDs strongly on demanding developers install preemptors at their cost.

It's also very hard to get hit if you come to a complete or near complete stop