What must be done to the wheels of the blocking vehicle after it is parked?

Setting the wheels of the blocking vehicle to their 'critical wheel angle' is essential in Traffic Incident Management because it enhances safety during an incident response. By turning the wheels towards the roadway, should the vehicle roll or become dislodged, it is likely to move away from the traffic lanes rather than into them. This positioning helps protect traffic responders by mitigating the risk of the blocking vehicle becoming a hazard itself.

The appropriate angle for the wheels ensures that the vehicle remains stable and provides an effective buffer between oncoming traffic and the scene, allowing personnel to perform their duties with a reduced risk of being struck. This practice is vital in maintaining a safe working environment at incident scenes and is one component of effective scene management.

Choices that suggest locking the wheels, facing directly into traffic, or raising the vehicle off the ground do not adequately address the need for protecting responders and managing the vehicle's positioning in relation to ongoing traffic. Each of those actions could create additional safety hazards or fail to provide the necessary protective measures that the correct choice supports.