The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) today announced its participation in a multi-state public awareness campaign aimed at helping drivers avoid hitting low bridges with vehicles.
The “Check Your Height, Know It’s Right” campaign 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 strikes, not only damage vehicles and infrastructure, but they also cause delays and put the public and emergency responders at risk.
WATCH: Reminders to drivers to “Check Your Height, Know It’s Right”
In Connecticut, a low bridge is hit almost daily.
“It’s every driver’s responsibility to know the height of their vehicle and to always pay attention to posted signage,” said Connecticut Department of Transportation Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto. “While GPS apps are helpful navigation tools, they do not know the type of vehicle you're driving and don’t flag potential low bridge issues. Before every trip, take a moment to check your vehicle’s height and know it’s right.”
Across 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 (TETC), a partnership of 19 states and D.C. focused on connecting public agencies across modes of travel to increase safety and efficiency.