MICHIGAN, USA — The deaths of tow truck drivers, mobile mechanics, emergency roadside technicians and safety service patrols are up in recent years. A new study might explain why.
Roadside workers are struck and killed nearly four times more than what's reported. With what is reported, AAA made a list of characteristics of the crashes to promote safety for workers risking their lives to help others.
“This new research reveals that vehicle collisions with roadside workers are not always the result of poor visibility,” said Adrienne Woodland of AAA. “More often than not, speed, driver distractions, and/or impairment are a factor.”
Speed limits, weather conditions, time of day and distractions were the leading causes of crashes that killed 123 roadside assistance providers from 2015 to 2021, AAA finds.
In 89% of the crashes, the speed limit was over 55 mph. They were almost all on interstates or other limited-access highways.
Somewhat surprisingly, 84% of crashes happened in good weather without precipitation/slippery road conditions.
While 63% occurred during darkness, a startling 34% of crashes were in broad daylight.
For most of the crashes, distractedness was a factor whether it be through phones, impairment or fatigue. In fact, 63% of the cars that caused an accident had already left the road and was traveling on the shoulder or beyond before impact. More than one-third of the drivers who killed someone were alcohol-positive. Half of the striking drivers were not tested.
“Interstates are particularly hazardous, as more than half of roadside provider deaths occurred there,” Woodland said. “The study attributes that to drivers traveling at high speeds, while not expecting to encounter pedestrians on freeways. This reinforces the importance that drivers stay focused on the task of driving and be prepared to slow down and move over when approaching workers on the roadside.”
AAA says there are steps to take to encourage safety for road workers, including the following:
- Slow down, Move Over: Reinforce these life-saving laws, reminding drivers to give space to ANYONE (including but not limited to roadside assistance, police, fire, EMS) working on the side of the road. Every ounce of awareness could be the difference between life and death.
- Shield the Vulnerable: Utilize countermeasures to prevent vehicles from striking workers. The Foundation previously examined vehicle-mounted electronic variable message signs and found them effective at alerting drivers to slow down and move over.
- Train for survival: Teach roadside workers to prioritize work away from traffic and equip them with strategies to avoid harm's way. Training for roadside assistance providers should emphasize the importance of not working or standing on the traffic-facing side of the incident whenever possible and minimize time spent on the traffic-facing side of the scene.
“Let’s remember this study is about real people, not statistics,” said Jake Nelson, AAA’s traffic safety and advocacy director. “It’s a shared responsibility to solve this safety challenge. Roadside workers and all of us who drive by them have to take action to move towards zero traffic deaths.”
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