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The Colorado Department of Transportation is deploying neon-colored Ford Super Duty crash protection trucks to protect responders at roadside incidents. The trucks use illuminated arrows to direct traffic and impact-absorbing attenuators; CDOT says one already absorbed a crash on October 10, protecting responders at the scene.
The Colorado Department of Transportation is deploying neon-colored Ford Super Duty crash protection trucks on Denver-area highways to shield emergency workers at roadside incidents and reduce the risk of secondary crashes. The trucks use illuminated arrows to tell approaching drivers to move over and rear-mounted attenuators designed to absorb impact if a vehicle strikes them.
According to a local news report cited by The Drive, CDOT’s initial deployment covers Interstate 25, Interstate 225 and Interstate 70 around Denver. The agency plans to send the trucks to other parts of the state later. Their bright green, high-visibility paint is intended to make them more conspicuous to drivers approaching an emergency scene.
The trucks also carry rear-facing illuminated arrows that direct traffic to move over. If a driver does not avoid the stopped truck, its attenuator—a reinforced impact-absorbing device mounted at the rear—is designed to take some of the force of a collision. Similar equipment is used to protect road crews working near moving traffic.
CDOT executive director Shoshana Lew said a driver struck one of the trucks on October 10 while approaching a crash scene. Lew told reporters the truck “worked exactly how it was designed and protected our first responders tending to the scene.” The report does not provide further details about the crash or whether anyone was injured.
A Barrier Between Traffic and Responders
Emergency personnel working beside a highway face danger from passing traffic as they assist people, manage a collision or secure a scene. A second crash can injure responders and people already involved in the original incident. The trucks add a physical buffer between moving vehicles and workers, rather than relying only on warning lights or signs to prompt drivers to slow down and move over.
The October 10 collision, as described by Lew, offers an early example of the equipment performing its intended role. It does not establish how often the trucks will prevent injuries or crashes, but it shows why an impact-absorbing vehicle can matter when a driver reaches an emergency scene without moving away in time.
truck mounted crash attenuator TMA
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Work-Zone Protection on Highways
Attenuators are already used around highway construction and maintenance. They are commonly placed on vehicles that follow work crews or provide protection during tasks such as roadside mowing. In a collision, the device is intended to absorb impact and reduce the force reaching the vehicle and people ahead of it.
CDOT is applying that kind of equipment to emergency roadside scenes, where responders may be working beside traffic without the fixed separation available at some construction sites. The agency’s initial route list focuses on three interstates around Denver; the reported plan is to extend deployment to other areas of Colorado.
highway work zone arrow board truck mounted
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Crash Details and Statewide Reach
The available report does not specify how many trucks CDOT is deploying, the full timeline for expansion beyond the Denver area, or which additional highways and communities will receive them. It also does not say whether the October 10 collision caused injuries or provide details about the speed or circumstances of the impact.
CDOT’s stated aim is to protect responders and reduce secondary crashes, but no outcome data or evaluation results are included in the source material. The number of crashes the trucks may prevent, and how their performance will be measured, remain unclear.
LED emergency vehicle arrow board light bar
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Expansion Beyond Denver Routes
CDOT’s reported next step is to deploy the trucks on additional routes outside the Denver metro area. The agency has not provided a public schedule or a list of later locations in the source material. Further information about the fleet size, expansion timetable and results from the initial deployment would clarify the program’s reach and impact.
high visibility reflective safety vest for roadside workers
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Key Questions
What are Colorado’s crash protection trucks?
They are Ford Super Duty trucks equipped with high-visibility paint, illuminated rear-facing arrows and impact-absorbing attenuators. CDOT is using them to shield responders at roadside emergency scenes.
Where are the trucks being deployed first?
The initial deployment is on I-25, I-225 and I-70 in the Denver area, according to the report. CDOT plans to expand use elsewhere in Colorado.
How does the rear attenuator work?
An attenuator is a reinforced device mounted at the rear of the truck. It is designed to absorb impact if an approaching vehicle hits the truck.
Has one of the trucks already been hit?
Yes. CDOT executive director Shoshana Lew said a driver struck one on October 10 while approaching a crash scene. Lew said the truck protected responders; further crash details were not provided in the report.
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