Gov. Malloy: Motorists Applaud New CTDOT State Farm Safety Patrol

Press Release

Governor Dannel P. Malloy and Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) Commissioner Jim Redeker today highlighted the contributions of CTDOT State Farm Safety Patrol™ operators for their work assisting stranded motorists and improving highway safety around the state, noting that the unique public-private partnership is continuing important work of assisting stranded motorists and providing necessary traffic control at incident scenes to alleviate congestion and prevent secondary crashes.

In May, the Governor announced that the state entered into a new sponsorship agreement between CTDOT and State Farm that will allow the department to continue operating its highway assistance patrol program, which was renamed the "CTDOT State Farm Safety Patrol." The program has been in operation for more than 20 years and enhances highway safety by proactively patrolling and assisting stranded motorists as well as providing better traffic control at incident scenes to alleviate congestion and prevent secondary crashes.

"Keeping our highways safe requires proactive management of daily traffic incidents in order to ensure that anyone involved remains protected and these occurrences do not become exacerbated by secondary accidents," Governor Malloy said. "By working with State Farm through this innovative funding approach, this highway safety program is continuing to provide the same high-level of service, while at the same time reducing costs to our state's taxpayers."

"Since we launched this sponsorship program with State Farm, CTDOT has received an overwhelmingly positive response from motorists," Commissioner Redeker said. "Based on their feedback, it's clear that the drivers who were assisted by the Safety Patrol appreciated not only the professionalism and courtesy of the CTDOT operators but also the added protection and security that this program offers to the traveling public."

As part of the new CTDOT State Farm Safety Patrol program, CTDOT and State Farm now offer motorists the option to share their Safety Patrol experience online at www.AssistPatrol.com or via social media using #AssistPatrol. In survey after survey, assisted motorists convey their gratitude and praise the program and excellent work of the patrol operators, referring to -- operators as "life savers" and even calling being stranded on the side of the highway a "pleasant incident."

Here are just a few of the positive comments the program has received from drivers:

Alex writes: "So I was stuck on 95 North with a flat tire on the driver's side. I was so close to the white line because of the minimal space on the right side of the road, I was very nervous I would be hit with traffic flying by…Within 15 mins I see a huge orange truck behind my car… I wasn't even expecting this but he made the job 10x quicker and easier. He kept me safe as well, I couldn't thank him enough and DOT."
Christine writes: "This service was so quick and easy and it was nice to see a friendly face in the morning when my ride didn't go as planned. I also appreciated him ensuring that I was safe as I got back into my car after he finished working. This was a great experience and I am really happy that the DOT has this service in place."
David writes: "Frank turned what could have been a greatly stressful ordeal into a pleasant incident, where I got to meet a good man who provided a great help to me when I needed it. Thank you Frank and State Farm!"
Grace writes: "He was a life saver. He changed my tire really fast and helped me get back onto the highway…"

"We are pleased with the early reception of our sponsorship," Matthew Hodson, Vice President/Agency at State Farm, said. "This program embodies our mission of being "here to help" at critical times. Helping people recover from the unexpected is more than a statement, it is the principal foundation of our business."

Each weekday during peak travel hours, CTDOT State Farm Safety Patrol vehicles patrol high-traffic interstates, including I-84, I-91, I-95, I-291, I-395, Route 2, Route 7, Route 8 and Route 15. Last year, Safety Patrol drivers assisted more than 16,000 motorists.

"Our responsibility is to assess and help people who are broken down. We are here for their safety," CTDOT State Farm Safety Patrol driver Bernardo Cuascut, Jr. said. "The people you deal with are the best part of working for the CTDOT State Farm Safety Patrol. I love helping the public."

CTDOT State Farm Safety Patrol operators offer free assistance to motorists, including changing flat tires, jump-starting vehicles, providing lockout assistance and moving disabled vehicles to the shoulder. In addition to assisting stranded motorists, the Safety Patrol works with the Connecticut State Police to manage traffic incidents and clear debris from the highway in an effort to improve traffic flow and prevent additional accidents from occurring.

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