The growing concern for the safety of Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) workers has reached a critical point following two near-miss incidents in just one week. NDOT employees have found themselves increasingly in harm's way, with a staggering 73 recorded instances this year where vehicles and equipment have been struck, including 15 instances involving HELP Units, a network of support vehicles that aid motorists in distress on Tennessee's highways.

One such harrowing event occurred on Thursday in Coffee County, where a driver slammed into an idle TDOT truck on I-24. Miraculously, injuries were avoided. However, perilous situations seem to punctuate the daily lives of these civil servants. The previous week, as shared by the Tennessee Department of Transportation, a TDOT HELP Truck driver was nearly overrun by an out-of-control vehicle while clearing debris on I-640W in Knoxville. That driver, after being aided by the narrowly missed TDOT worker, was escorted to the hospital and is expected to recover.

Deputy Governor and TDOT Commissioner Butch Eley is drawing attention to the increasing trends of unsafe driving behaviors. "We are seeing an alarming increase of unsafe and distracted drivers across Tennessee," he stated, as per the Tennessee Department of Transportation. The frequency and severity of the incidents indicate a distressing disregard for roadway safety protocols. To protect the workers who maintain and serve Tennessee's transportation infrastructure, Commissioner Eley is urging motorists to adhere to laws that mandate mobile device restrictions while driving and require drivers to slow down and move over for emergency and roadside assistance personnel.