Case Study: A 47-year-old Tennessee Department of Transportation worker died after he was hit by a car that entered a roadway work zone. He and a coworker had been installing reflectors on a guardrail in the center divider of an interstate highway. The road crew had placed a traffic sign 1,000 feet from the work area in both directions of travel. Working along the road-facing side of the guardrail, the team installed the reflectors every 12.5 feet. At one point, one of the men noticed an oncoming car and yelled to his partner to get out of the way. His partner did not respond quickly enough and was hit by the car. He was then thrown over the guardrail into a 200-foot-wide ravine running along the median divider. Emergency responders were called. When they arrived, the worker was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver did not stop, but was apprehended later. He stated that he had fallen asleep at the wheel just before the accident.
Key Takeaway: Although it is not possible to predict erratic driver behavior, this death may have been avoided had the workers been working away from moving traffic, on the median side of the guardrail. Employers must train their employees about smart working habits and on-the-job safety measures, and employees must also practice stay-safe work approaches. Finally, roadway users - and that includes most of us - must always respect the presence of roadway workers by staying aware of roadway conditions and slowing down as needed.
