The life-saving services provided by roadside workers are becoming increasingly lethal for those who perform these duties, a new study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety has revealed. According to CBS Detroit, the research indicates an alarming discrepancy in the number of roadside workers killed by vehicles—123 fatalities between 2015 and 2021, a number almost four times higher than what has been reported in national crash data. The study attributes the underreporting to misclassification, with state police often listing victims as "pedestrians" rather than roadside assistance workers.
Traversing high-speed highways, these laborers face perils often attributed to poor visibility. However, insights uncovered by AAA suggest the larger threats are speed, driver distractions, and impairment. As outlined by a CBS Detroit report, 89% of these fatal incidents took place in zones with speed limits of 55 mph or higher. "This new research reveals that vehicle collisions with roadside workers are not always the result of poor visibility," stated Adrienne Woodland, spokeswoman for AAA – The Auto Club Group, according to the report. In fact, most of these casualties occurred under fair weather conditions and in broad daylight.
Despite the expectations that might come with high-speed thoroughfares such as interstates where encounters with pedestrians are rare, the data speaks differently. A AAA East Central spokesperson conveyed to WTRF that these very sites are where over half of the roadside assistance provider deaths take place. The same data also revealed that a staggering 63% of the crashes involved vehicles that had already left the road, supporting the inference that factors other than visibility, such as driver distraction or impairment, are at play. Tiffany Staley of AAA East Central reiterated the importance of moving over or slowing down when approaching emergency vehicles, emphasizing that this action could substantially lower these devastating events.
In light of these startling findings, the AAA Foundation is calling for increased awareness and policy reinforcement. Jake Nelson, AAA's traffic safety and advocacy director, told CBS Detroit, "Let's remember this study is about real people, not statistics," underscoring the shared responsibility in safeguarding these highway heroes. Methods like vehicle-mounted electronic message signs have proven effective in alerting drivers. Training for roadside workers has also been underscored, suggesting strategies to work away from traffic and to minimize their presence on the traffic side of an incident whenever possible.
Both Illinois and Indiana have bolstered their respective "Move Over" laws to require drivers to shift lanes or slow down when encountering any vehicle on the roadside with hazard lights on, according to the AAA study featured on 977wmoi. These regulations, although crucial, are not a panacea. The study suggests that compliance alone falls short, and states must address the persistent issues of speeding, impaired driving, and distraction that lead to these roadside tragedies.
