Houston TranStar is a unique partnership of four government agencies sharing resources under one roof to provide innovative transportation and emergency management services. With more than five million registered vehicles in its Southeast Texas service area, TranStar’s commitment to motorist safety and public education led to the creation of It’s Only a White Line for preventing deaths of stranded motorists and pedestrians.
Over a 10-year period, about 75 percent of stranded motorists who died in Harris County were standing outside their vehicles. It’s Only a White Line warns motorists against relying on a thin stripe of white paint to protect them from fast-moving traffic and teaches them how to get off the freeway as quickly and safely as possible.
For prevention methods to work, it’s important to fully understand the problem. Improved collection of data from law enforcement and the medical community will provide valuable insight for preventing deaths of stranded motorists.
To broaden impact, community partners from the law enforcement, medical, transportation management, towing, and auto insurance industries play key roles in It’s Only a White Line.
According to the Federal Highway Administration, one in five car crashes is a secondary incident, meaning it is the result of another “primary” vehicle incident. Adding information to what law officers log in crash reports will help us to collect valuable data for preventing injuries and deaths from secondary incidents.
Improving awareness and enforcement of the Texas Steer It Clear It and Move Over or Slow Down laws is critical for helping reduce deadly secondary incidents on freeways.
Beginning with Southeast Texas, TranStar’s long-term goal for It’s Only a White Line is to expand awareness for its life-saving messages statewide and nationally.
TranStar formed the It’s Only a White Line Leadership Council to establish a unique collaboration among law enforcement, the medical community, transportation management, the towing industry, and auto insurance associations. The Council’s cross-section of experts play an active role in contributing valuable knowledge and practical solutions for measuring the impact of these preventable tragedies.
Harris County Sheriff’s Office
Program Manager for Safety and Regional Incident Management Houston-Galveston Area Council
WOS Adjunct Faculty
Cizik School of Nursing University of Texas Health Science Center
SafeClear Operations Manager Tow and Go™
