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Drivers block emergency lanes on I-77, keeping responders from patients

By Mark Barber
By Mark Barber

HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. — Emergency responders said drivers on I-77 are creating dangerous situations by blocking emergency lanes.

The ongoing I-77 toll construction means the shoulders on the left lanes are blocked, so crews designated the right shoulder as an emergency lane so rescue crews can get past traffic.

Firefighters said it has created two problems: Some drivers move into the emergency lane for first responders, and others get into the lane to try and pass traffic backups.

Frustrated drivers said it can be confusing when they see flashing lights speeding toward them.

“If I saw someone coming over behind me, as far as a police officer, I would pull over into the breakdown lane,” driver Debbie Cox said.

That’s what happened Sunday on I-77.

Huntersville firefighters couldn’t reach injured people who needed their help because drivers were blocking emergency lanes.

“If you see a firetruck behind you, you move right. However, if that firetruck is changing their response and going on the shoulder or passing you on the right, just slow down, yield to them and let them pass,” Bill Suthard, with the Huntersville Fire Department, said.

“Every second and every minute is critical,” said Nick Brown, with HERO Patrol Roadside Assistance. “You don’t know if that patient has minor injuries, or severe injuries. So those minutes really pay off.”

Firefighters said they still have a failsafe when all the travel lanes are blocked. They rely on other departments, like Cornelius, to rush down the wrong way of the interstate to reach the crash.

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