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The Colorado Department of Transportation is deploying neon-colored Ford Super Duty crash protection trucks at roadside emergencies, beginning on I-25, I-225 and I-70 near Denver. The trucks use illuminated move-over arrows and rear impact attenuators; CDOT says one recently absorbed a crash that otherwise could have reached responders.
The Colorado Department of Transportation is deploying neon-colored Ford Super Duty crash protection trucks on highways around Denver to shield emergency workers at roadside incidents and help prevent secondary crashes. The trucks will begin operating on Interstate 25, Interstate 225 and Interstate 70, with deployment planned for other parts of the state, according to the report.
The trucks are designed to make roadside emergency scenes more visible and give drivers another warning to move over. Their rear-facing illuminated arrows direct traffic away from the scene, while the vehicles’ bright livery is intended to stand out like a high-visibility vest. The equipment borrows features commonly used to protect road crews working near traffic.
Each truck also carries a rear-mounted impact attenuator, a reinforced structure intended to absorb some of the force if a vehicle strikes it. Attenuators are also used on roadwork vehicles, including trucks positioned behind crews setting up work zones or doing roadside mowing. They are a buffer, not a guarantee that a collision will cause no injuries or damage.
CDOT executive director Shoshana Lew told reporters that on Oct. 10, a driver approaching a crash scene struck one of the protection trucks instead. Lew said the truck “worked exactly how it was designed and protected our first responders tending to the scene.” The report does not give further details about the driver, the crash or whether anyone was injured.
A Buffer Between Traffic and Responders
Emergency workers at the roadside face passing traffic while they assist people, manage a crash or secure a scene. A second collision can put responders and people already involved in the incident at further risk. The trucks are intended to place a visible, impact-absorbing vehicle between traffic and workers, rather than relying only on emergency lights or drivers noticing a stopped vehicle in time.
The Oct. 10 incident offers a specific example of the intended use: according to Lew, the truck took the impact while responders worked at the crash scene. It does not establish how often the vehicles will be hit or how much they will reduce injuries overall. Their value will depend on how they are deployed and whether the warning equipment and attenuators reduce the danger at roadside scenes.
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From Work Zones to Emergency Scenes
Move-over messages and traffic signs are familiar features of highway work zones, where crews and equipment operate close to moving vehicles. The crash protection trucks apply similar protective equipment to emergency response scenes. Their arrows are meant to guide drivers around a stopped incident, while the attenuator provides an additional layer of protection if a driver does not avoid the truck.
The original report says Colorado’s initial deployment will cover three major Denver-area interstates before expanding elsewhere in the state. It does not provide a fleet size, a detailed schedule or a description of how dispatchers will assign the trucks to particular incidents.
Deployment Details Still Pending
The report does not say how many trucks CDOT has, when they will be available across the full state, or what criteria will determine which incidents receive one. It also gives no injury or damage details from the Oct. 10 collision beyond Lew’s account that the truck protected responders.
There are no figures in the report showing the program’s effect on secondary crashes, responder injuries or traffic delays. The trucks’ presence may add a protective layer, but the available information does not establish how much risk they will reduce over time.
Expansion Beyond Denver’s Interstates
CDOT’s stated next step is to deploy the trucks first on I-25, I-225 and I-70 around Denver, then extend their use to other parts of Colorado. The source does not specify when that wider rollout will happen. Further details about the fleet, dispatch practices and any evaluation of the program’s safety impact have not been provided.
Key Questions
What are Colorado’s crash protection trucks?
They are high-visibility Ford Super Duty trucks equipped with rear-facing illuminated arrows and impact attenuators for use at roadside emergency scenes.
Where will the trucks be deployed first?
The initial deployment is planned for I-25, I-225 and I-70 in the Denver area, before the trucks are used in other parts of the state.
How are the trucks meant to protect emergency workers?
The arrows tell drivers to move away from the roadside scene. If a vehicle hits the truck, its impact attenuator is designed to absorb some of the impact before it reaches responders.
Has one of the trucks already been hit?
Yes. CDOT executive director Shoshana Lew said a driver struck one on Oct. 10 while approaching a crash scene. The report does not specify the year or provide further details about injuries or damage.
How many trucks are in the program, and when will statewide deployment happen?
The report does not give a fleet count or a schedule for expansion beyond the Denver-area highways. CDOT says the trucks will be deployed elsewhere in Colorado, but the timing is not specified.
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