KING COUNTY, Wash. — Though drivers are often urged to pay attention while driving in work zones, the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is reminding drivers that paying attention could be the difference between life and death for its workers.
"Trucks and cones and flashing lights, those are all indications there's a work zone ahead," said Aisha Dayal, a spokesperson for WSDOT. "They have vehicles and equipment there to prevent the public from getting into the work zone."
Despite all the warnings WSDOT crews put, people continue to crash into work zones and put workers in danger. The latest incident happened last Wednesday in Federal Way along I-5. Three workers were sent to the hospital, and they were treated and released the same day.
In January, six WSDOT workers were sent to the hospital after a suspected drunk driver crashed into their work zone on I-5 in Vancouver.
"These aren't just workers that are on the roads. They're our colleagues, friends. They have a story. They're your neighbors, people in your community," Dayal said.
Adam Gonzales, a WSDOT employee who has been hit three times while on the job, spoke to KING 5 last April about the importance of people paying attention on the road. He's suffered concussions, spinal injuries, along with PTSD.
"It's the most horrifying sound that you'll hear," Gonzales said of the work zone crashes in which he's been involved.
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee invited Gonzales to a bill signing last year for speed cameras in work zones. They're expected to go online in July of this year, in time for the busy road construction season.
According to WSDOT, 61 employees have died while on the job since 1950. In April, they will hold a memorial to honor those who've lost their lives and speakers include workers who've been hit and survived while working.