06/18/2026
The next time you're sitting in traffic because a road is closed, take a moment to think about the person standing in the roadway stopping traffic.
They're standing in the heat, the cold, the snow, the rain, the darkness, and sometimes just a few feet from moving vehicles.
While many people are frustrated by the delay, that person is there for a reason.
They are helping create a safe work area for firefighters, EMS providers, law enforcement officers, utility crews, tow operators, and most importantly, the victims whose lives have been turned upside down in a matter of seconds.
Every vehicle that slows down, every lane that is closed, and every detour that is established is done with one goal in mind: making sure everyone goes home safely.
The dangers don't stop when the emergency is over. In many cases, the greatest threat to first responders and victims on a roadway is the traffic passing just a few feet away.
So the next time you see someone standing in the roadway directing traffic, remember that they aren't there to inconvenience you.
They're there to protect someone.
Stay alert. Slow down. Move over when possible.
Someone's life may depend on it.
