Early Tuesday on a short stretch of Interstate 90 in Euclid, two separate Ohio Department of Transportation crews were hit by vehicles just minutes apart, according to state transportation officials. In each crash, a vehicle slammed into a protective truck towing an impact attenuator, the crash-absorbing trailer designed to shield workers. The truck drivers were taken to local hospitals for evaluation and later released, and ODOT is again pleading with motorists to slow down and move over when they see crews working under flashing lights.
What happened on I-90
According to an ODOT North Central Ohio District 3 post, the first crash happened around 1 a.m. on I-90 west near East 260th Street, when a driver hit a truck that was protecting a crew picking up litter. Roughly ten minutes later, on the eastbound side of the same stretch, a different vehicle ran into the back of another truck that was shielding a pothole-patching crew. Local television coverage and on-scene photos show crumpled impact attenuators and workers standing clear of the damaged vehicles while emergency lights lit up the highway. Euclid Police are investigating both crashes, and ODOT said the motorists who struck the protective trucks were cited. ODOT North Central Ohio District 3 on Facebook, as covered by News 5 Cleveland.
ODOT reaction and statewide counts
At a morning news conference, ODOT officials did not mince words, calling the back-to-back crashes "unacceptable" and pointing out that crews are out overnight specifically to reduce risk to workers and drivers. The agency says 52 ODOT crews have been hit so far this year, a number it cited as proof that too many motorists are still driving distracted or flying past work zones. Spokespeople urged drivers to put the phone down, stay sober and give crews room to work, and the department posted images and video from the Euclid scenes as part of a broader work zone safety push. Ideastream Public Media.
Move Over law and why it matters
Ohio’s Move Over law requires drivers approaching a stationary public safety, emergency, road-service or highway-maintenance vehicle with flashing lights to shift one lane away when it is safe to do so. If a lane change is not possible, drivers must proceed with due caution and slow down. Penalties go up for repeat violations and when distracted driving contributes to the offense. The rule is spelled out in state statute. Ohio Revised Code §4511.213.
I-90 work and the bigger picture
The Euclid crashes hit as construction season ramps up on I-90, where crews are already busy with rehabilitation and lane work that increase the number of maintenance and paving operations along the corridor. Local coverage and ODOT messaging both note that busier work zones mean drivers need to be even more disciplined about giving roadside workers and blocking trucks enough space. For background on long-term construction on this stretch, see coverage of major I-90 rehab work in the Cleveland area.
ODOT officials emphasized that impact attenuators are built to take the hit so people do not, and that every crash is reviewed by local law enforcement. Anyone who may have more information about either Euclid collision is asked to contact Euclid Police. The department’s repeated message is simple: slow down, move over and stay focused so road crews can finish the night and get home in one piece. News 5 Cleveland.
