The Ohio Highway Patrol is urging the state’s drivers to slow down and stay alert in construction zones.
Just recently, a 24-year-old construction worker was killed while working on US-33 while repairing a damaged guardrail. Charges have yet to be filed in that incident because investigators are still working out exactly what happened. A semitruck struck the woman and kept driving, but investigators haven’t yet determined if a crime was committed. Leaving the scene of an accident is a crime in its own right, but it isn’t entirely clear if the driver even realized he’d struck the young woman.
The young woman’s death is just the latest in a string of fatalities in the state involving roadside construction zones. More than a dozen workers have been killed in accidents with cars and more than 1,500 have been hurt.
The Ohio Highway Patrol is reminding drivers that the majority of these kinds of accidents are preventable. While speed is often the factor that can increase injuries and the possibility of a death occurring from an accident, distracted driving may be the primary culprit that leads to accidents in the first place.
Construction workers can help reduce the chances that they’ll be in a roadside accident by taking precautions at work. No worker should ever step out on a job site without the appropriate personal safety gear, including a bright vest and hardhat that’s designed to be visible to drivers in all weather conditions. It’s also important for workers to assist each other. A single worker is less visible to drivers — and in more danger — than several workers together.
If you were hurt in an accident (or a loved one was killed) while working roadside construction due to a driver’s negligence, it can be complicated to determine who exactly is liable. The driver may be partially at fault — but the construction company may have also failed to ensure its workers’ safety. An attorney can help you understand more about your rights and your ability to claim the compensation you need for your family’s future security.