NCDOT Partners with State Highway Patrol on Accident Invstigation Sites

NCDOT PARTNERS WITH STATE HIGHWAY PATROL ON ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION SITES

Safe locations are created to investigate crashes

CHARLOTTE - The N.C. Department of Transportation is partnering with the North Carolina State Highway Patrol in a pilot project to create safer locations for local and state law enforcement to conduct accident investigations along the state's highways.

These accident investigation sites have been created in an effort to reduce onlooker delays and congestion following a crash. Providing these locations also offers protection to motorists involved in an accident, and to law enforcement personnel conducting the accident investigation.

According to national statistics, the fatality rate for first responders while investigating crashes or issuing citations is 37 percent. Since 2006, there have been five incidents in Mecklenburg County involving State Highway Patrol vehicles.

Officials in the near future will assess the effectiveness of these sites, and will consider placing additional sites on other interstates in the region.

Ten investigation sites will be located along the I-77 corridor in Mecklenburg County at the following exits:

*        Exit 3 South - Arrowood Road
*        Exit 4 North and South - Nations Ford Road
*        Exit 5 North and South - Tyvola Road
*        Exit 6 North and South - Woodlawn Road/South Tryon Street
*        Exit 7 North and South- Clanton Road
*        Exit 8 North - Remount Road
*        Exit 10 North - Trade Street
*        Exit 12 North and South - LaSalle Street
*        Exit 16 North and South - Sunset Road
*        Exit 18 North and South - Harris Boulevard


Additional investigation sites will soon be located at these exits:

*        Exit 23 North and South - Gilead Road
*        Exit 25 North and South - Sam Furr Road (N.C. 73)
*        Exit 28 North and South - Catawba Avenue/Lake Norman

***NCDOT***

Note: Representatives from NCDOT's Incident Management Assistance Patrol (IMAP) and NCSHP will be available for questions at 2 p.m. Monday, May 3, at the Metrolina Regional Transportation Management Center, 2327 Tipton Drive in Charlotte.

For information on locations to shoot footage of accident investigation signs, please contact Jen Thompson at (704) 347-6618.