Safety of Freeway Service Patrol Operations: Case Study of Florida Road Rangers

Abstract

Safety service patrols are a proven strategy to mitigate the effects of traffic incidents through quick clearance, incident management, and assistance to other incident responders like police, fire, emergency medical services, and towing. As encountered by other responders, working on or near roadways presents unique hazards for safety service patrol vehicles and operators. Road Rangers are Florida’s branded safety service patrols and, as a mature program with over 100 beats, a suitable case study for safety. This research combined an analysis of Road Ranger traffic crash data for 3 years with a comprehensive safety survey of more than 200 operators to determine safety characteristics related to service patrols. Comparing 200 Road Ranger traffic crashes from 2014 through 2016 with all Florida freeway crashes for the same time period revealed that Road Ranger crashes are five times more likely to involve a parked vehicle, and involve two or more vehicles 95% of the time. Pedestrian involvement, nighttime, shoulder locations, and work zones have higher representation for Road Ranger crashes, but weather is not a factor. Alcohol is three times more likely, drug use five times more likely, and distraction slightly higher when Road Ranger vehicles are struck. A survey of 217 Road Ranger drivers revealed that they are keenly aware of important safety topics like high-visibility safety apparel, non-traffic side vehicle approaches, and the dangers of working where there is limited lateral buffer space. Drivers overwhelmingly believe that they have the training and equipment necessary to do their jobs safely.