Keeping First Responders Safe at Crash Scenes

NDDC NEWS

Aug 24, 2026

Distracted driving is a significant public safety threat for all road users, including first responders managing crash scenes. Wherever they occur, crash scenes are a first responder’s place of work, and we need to assist them in performing their duties by keeping them safe. Their efforts not only provide victims with the immediate care they need and families with the answers to help them move forward but also help prevent the additional loss of life. Many communities employ Community Risk Reduction (CRR) programs using data-driven education, engineering, and enforcement to prevent crashes, reduce injuries, and protect both drivers and emergency responders on local roadways.

This webinar shares information about three core strategies to support CRR: public education opportunities; data tracking, and enforcement & policy. Presenters will present tools and available resources for effectively partnering with local schools (K-12) as well as driver education programs to host prevention activities and teen driver safety programs. Opportunities for using local crash data and/or telematics platforms to identify high-risk areas and times for distracted driving incidents as well as options to supporting local high-visibility enforcement and strict hands-free driving laws will be shared. Strategies available to first responders to increase their safety will also be discussed.

You’ll learn:

What tools and programs are available for educating new drivers about first responder safety
How to use data to identify areas and times that are high risk for distracted driving
Resources to support enforcement efforts
Strategies first responders can employ to reduce risk

More resources are available in NDDC’s Roadway Responder Safety, Training, Data, and Public Education Resource appendix.

Webinar will be hosted on September 29, 2026 at 2PM ET.

Webinar Speakers

Joel Feldman

Founder, EndDD.org

After losing his daughter Casey to a distracted driver in 2009, Joel Feldman dedicated his career to preventing distracted driving and improving road safety. Founder of EndDD.org, he has delivered more than 1,000 presentations nationwide and leads a network of volunteer speakers that has reached more than 525,000 teens. His evidence-based distracted driving programs have been recognized by the U.S. Department of Transportation for their effectiveness in changing teen driving attitudes and behaviors. A practicing attorney for more than 40 years, Joel is a nationally recognized advocate for safer roads and traffic safety education.

Todd Leiss

Traffic Incident Management Specialist, Jacobs Engineering

Todd Leiss is a Traffic Incident Management Specialist at Jacobs Engineering. He retired in July 2023, as the Traffic Incident & Emergency Management Supervisor for the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission after serving as the PTC Traffic Incident Management Coordinator and Operations Center Duty Officer. Before that, Todd worked as an emergency dispatcher and has experience as a former volunteer firefighter, emergency medical technician, and hazardous material team member. Todd currently serves at the Deputy Director of Training for the Emergency Responder Safety Institute, Respondersafety.com and is the founder of TIM Heroes, Inc., a 501c3 non-profit focused on emergency responder safety and co-founder of the recently established 501c3 National Emergency Roadway Responder Safety Coalition (NERRSC).