The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) announced today a new public awareness campaign aimed at helping drivers avoid hitting low bridges with vehicles.
The “Check Your Height, Know It’s Right” campaign is a multi-state effort that encourages people to check that their vehicle is not too tall to safely fit under bridges that extend over state and local roadways. These overhead collisions, commonly known as bridge hits or bridge strikes, not only damage vehicles and infrastructure, but they also cause delays and put the public and emergency responders at risk.
In Connecticut, a low bridge is hit almost daily.
“Drivers often rely on GPS apps and trust it will find the fastest route for their commute. However, those apps are not designed to be used with non-passenger vehicles, such as rental trucks or commercial vehicles, and do not flag potential low bridge issues,” said Connecticut Department of Transportation Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto. “Drivers are responsible for knowing the height of their vehicle and being observant for and complying with posted bridge heights. Keep yourself safe by knowing your vehicle’s height.”
The “Check Your Height, Know It’s Right” campaign is aimed at all classes of drivers, such as CDL and passenger class drivers, operating commercial trucks, leased and rented trucks, and recreational vehicles. Data shows that drivers may not always consider vehicle height and related restrictions during operation. For example, a typical 26-foot moving/delivery truck may have a height ranging from 11’ to 13’-6”.
In Connecticut, there are more than 700 low bridges under 14’-6”, including on the Merritt Parkway, where trucks are prohibited, as well as throughout railroad corridors.
CTDOT along with a number of state transportation agencies are adopting the “Check Your Height, Know It’s Right” campaign with the support of The Eastern Transportation Coalition, a partnership of 19 states and D.C. focused on connecting public agencies across modes of travel to increase safety and efficiency. The campaign builds on an innovative New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) initiative that led to this multi-state collaborative effort.