| Stopping safely during an emergency |
| Even if all the proper safety precautions are taken while stopping on the side of the road, tragic accidents can occur, especially on the highways and interstates. Road shoulders should be used for emergency stopping only. The best choice is to continue to the next exit that has a safe and legal area to park. |
| If you must stop on the roadway or shoulder, follow these safety precautions at a minimum: |
| • Pick a point where your vehicle will be visible. If there are challenges such as debris, bridges, construction or obstructions, proceed to a safer area if at all possible. |
| • Signal your intentions before, during and after you pull over and park your vehicle as far off the roadway as possible. |
| • Regardless if it is day or night, turn on your emergency 4-way flashers immediately. Place emergency warning devices around the vehicle as per company policy and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulation 392.22. |
| • Constantly be aware of approaching traffic so you will not be struck. If you must walk around your vehicle, always wear brightly colored/fluorescent, reflective clothing so you may be seen. |
| • Never drive through or park in the gore area of the roadway. The gore, gore point, or gore area/zone is the triangular piece of land found where roads and exits merge or split. This is a violation of traffic laws and is dangerous. |
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| Remember, you will need space to build to a safe, legal speed before you merge back onto the roadway. Before moving your vehicle, check your mirrors to make sure there is adequate space between you and approaching vehicles. Continuously signal your intentions well in advance to alert other motorists. Use the shoulder as an acceleration lane before entering the flow of traffic. Never pull immediately back into the travel lane from a dead stop. |
| Even if you follow all safety precautions during an emergency roadside stop, per many state laws, you can individually be held legally responsible if a collision occurs. |
| Download our free handout "Stopping Safely During an Emergency" for more tips. |
| Safety roundtables coming to a city near you!
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| Protective is hosting safety roundtables next month in the cities listed below. You’ll receive hands-on training to help you develop a safety program for your drivers based on the top losses we see annually.
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| Saturday, April 11 – Orlando, FL
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| Monday, April 13 – Miami, FL
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| Saturday, April 18 – Chino Hills, CA |
| Monday, April 20 – Burbank, CA |
| Wednesday, April 22 – San Francisco, CA |
| Thursday, April 23 – Hayward, CA |
| For more information, contact our Loss Prevention Department at lossprevention@protectiveinsurance.com or 800-644-5501 ext. 7341. And look for more dates and locations in the next IC Safety! |
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| Download the Protective mobile app!
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| The Protective mobile app enables customers to easily submit claims, view vehicle ID cards, get the latest safety updates and more. Click to download for iPhone or Android today! |
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| Note: Not all features are available to all customers. Please refer to the app's description in the App Store or Google Play for full details. |
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