THE ESCAPE ROUTE PLACE THE LINE OF ACTION In conjunction with an escape route, the crew member should also set up a Line of Action. Here’s how it works: • From the flagging station, choose an easily identifiable object, such as a telephone pole, to mark the Line of Action • The object should provide three seconds of reaction time • If a vehicle passes the object and does not appear to be slowing down, the flagger should drop their paddle and get out of harms way The table to the right illustrates how road speed determines where to place the Line of Action. ACTIVATE THE LINE OF ACTION Karrick Davis, instructor, recalls an incident where a speeding motorist crossed the Line of Action. The driver was on his mobile phone and didn’t see Karrick or his stop/slow paddle until seconds away from impact. The motorist slammed on his breaks but skidded straight toward Karrick who dove out of the way and hit the ground rolling. He was very fortunate to not be injured during the incident. “I walked away alive,” said Karrick. “If you don’t have an escape route, what do you have?” Line of Action distances are approximate and depend on the environment. LINE OF ACTION LOCATION REFERENCE CHART Actual Vehicle Speed (MPH) Location of Line of Action 25 mph 110 ft 35 mph 160 ft 45 mph 200 ft 55 mph 240 ft 65 mph 300 ft “I walked away alive.” — Karrick Davis, instructor “!” IN THE DIAGRAM BELOW, the Line of Action is the second telephone pole from the flagging station. It’s around 160 ft from the traffic control professional since it’s a 35 mph roadway. PRO TIP use your crew leader’s trip odometer to measure Line of Action distance. If you don’t have access to a vehicle, observe traffic from your flagging station — count out three seconds as cars approach, paying attention to surroundings in order to identify your Line of Action. This approach will work in any field condition. 3 seconds apart 160 ft PROPER ESCAPE ROUTE The escape route is a defense against errant motorists and is used when an oncoming vehicle appears as though it will not stop. Even with advanced warning signs in place and the crew member wearing proper retro-reflective apparel, distracted motorists might not see the work zone personnel. An escape route is a clear path the traffic control professional can use to remove him or herself from danger. The escape route is required on all job sites. Discussing the crew member’s positioning and hazard awareness is mandatory to review during pre-job preparations. Plan the route following a few simple guidelines to create a lane to safety in any work zone and in any situation. CHOOSE WISELY Setting up an appropriate escape route is a combination of science and art. A proper escape route includes: • A clear path away from danger • Level ground to avoid tripping/falling • Avoids standing next to immovable objects IMPROPER ESCAPE ROUTE An improper escape route includes: • A path that leads to potential danger • Hills, crevasses, rocks — anything that may cause tripping/falling • May include immovable objects, such as guardrails, trees, etc. 8 | ESCAPE ROUTE ESCAPE ROUTE | 9