Did you know that accidents account for up to 60% of all traffic delays? An accident that takes only 10 minutes to clear can cause delays of up to an hour! While there are many misconceptions that drivers must stay put after any sort of incident this is actually false, illegal, and dangerous! Colorado’s “Move It” Law requires cars involved in minor accidents to immediately move to a safe, out of the way, location.

Responding to an accident stopped in the middle of the highway creates unsafe situations for both the motorists involved, and the Traffic Incident Management (TIM) professionals – including fire, police, ambulance, and towing – that are called to the scene. Together, they work to clear incidents safely and quickly, but they need your help too.

To keep traffic moving as smoothly and safely as possible, follow these steps:

Know your role:

1. Asses

• -Check for injuries - if there are injured parties, call 911
• -Determine whether vehicles are drivable
• -Determine whether drugs/alcohol are involved

2. Move It!

• -If there are no injuries, vehicles are drivable, and no drugs/alcohol was involved...
• -Move vehicles to the nearest shoulder or pull-out

3. Notify

• -Call 911 to alert them of the incident and yourlocation 

4. Report

• -Exchange information
• -Report information as instructed by law enforcement and your insurance provider

By the Numbers

• -4 minutes: How long traffic is delayed for every minute a lane is blocked
• -36 minutes: The length of a traffic holdup due to an initial incident that is likely to cause a secondary crash
• -52: Number of law enforcement fatalities due to traffic-related incidents nationwide in 2015
• -2.8 billion gallons: The amount of fuel wasted annually due to being stuck in traffic
• -38,000: The number of responders in harm's way at an incident scene in a 24-hour period
• -20,000: The average number of first responders injured annually while responding to traffic incidents

While drivers may not usually be confronted with a reason to think about this issue, the numbers are pretty powerful and speak for themselves. Moving It IS the law and ensuring compliance saves time and lives. We understand that even minor accidents can be stressful and the specifics of traffic law isn't always the first thing that comes to mind - but if you ever find yourself in this unlucky situation, please Move It and encourage your friends and family to do the same!

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