Colorado DOT rolls out neon crash-protection trucks to shield responders at roadside scenes
On October 25, media reports disclosed that the Colorado Department of Transportation has deployed a new kind of crash-protection truck — a heavy-duty Ford painted in high-visibility neon — designed to protect emergency responders working at highway incident scenes. The trucks are being used first on Interstates 25, 225 and 70 in the Denver metro area and will later expand statewide. The body carries bright neon paintwork and a lighted arrow panel at the rear directing drivers to change lanes; if a driver fails to move over in time, a rear crash cushion absorbs the impact, much like the attenuators used behind road-work crews. CDOT Executive Director Shoshana Lew said the equipment has already proven itself: on October 10, a driver approaching a crash scene struck one of the trucks, which 'performed exactly as designed and protected the responders working at the scene.' Secondary crashes at the roadside are a persistent risk for emergency personnel, and flashing lights do not always make distracted drivers slow down. The truck's logic is direct: warn first with color and arrows, then back it up with a physical cushion, giving roadside crews one more layer of protection.
Source: GSM·USA
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图片来源：Wikimedia Commons／Retaildesigner (talk)（公共领域）
