Flagman Applauds Sen. Blumenthal’s Bipartisan Slow Down, Move Over Resolution
Flagman Inc. press release:
Flagman Inc., the Honolulu-based grassroots non-profit organization focused on raising awareness about roadside dangers that first responders and highway workers face, applauds the efforts of Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) whose bipartisan Slow Down Move Over resolution was passed by the U.S. Senate in late November.
Flagman founder Cindy Iodice of Honolulu and formerly of Fairfield, CT, commended Blumenthal for his ongoing bipartisan work to raise awareness of Slow Down, Move Over state laws and to recognize the vital role fire, police, rescue and emergency medical personnel, tow truck operators and transportation workers play in road safety.
“Emergency responders are the unsung heroes of our nation’s roads,” said Iodice, “so it’s important to keep the message of Slow Down Move Over in the eye of the motoring public. Senator Blumenthal’s resolution does just that.”
The resolution is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Mike Braun (R-IN), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Mark Warner (D-VA), and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL).
It was inspired by tow truck operator Corey Iodice, Cindy’s brother, who was struck and killed on the Merritt Parkway in Connecticut in 2020 while assisting a driver in a disabled vehicle.
Corey’s death prompted Cindy to launch Flagman (flagmansafety.com), a campaign to educate drivers about the roadside dangers first responders face.
Numerous state and national traffic safety organizations support the resolution, including the Towing and Recovery Association of America (TRAA), AAA, the American Association of State Troopers, the American Driver and Traffic Safety Education Association, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance, the Connecticut Department of Transportation, the Eastern Transportation Coalition, the Governors Highway Safety Association, the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF), the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC), the National Association of Police Organizations, and the National Association of State EMS Officials, National Safety Council.
All 50 states have Slow Down, Move Over laws that direct motorists to reduce speed or change lanes for stopped emergency and maintenance vehicles. Despite these laws, drivers are still unaware of such laws, so roadside fatalities and injuries continue.
On average, an emergency responder is struck and killed every 4.65 days on America’s roadways, with 43 deaths occurring in 2023. In Connecticut, three high-profile roadway deaths occurred, involving State Trooper Aaron Pelletier, CT Dot Employee Andrew DiDomenico and Construction worker Jose Diaz Nieves occurred this summer within several months of each another.
The text of the resolution is available here.