Construction Worker dies After Being Hit by Car
An early morning accident on Interstate 95 in Miami led to the death of a worker doing construction nearby on Sunday, February 16.
Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) officials say the accident happened around 2 AM on Sunday, in the southbound lanes near 62nd Street. They report that a black SUV crashed into a white Toyota sedan. The collision sent the SUV flying into the nearby construction zone, where it struck a worker. He was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he later died.
Sadly, construction site injuries and deaths are not uncommon.
The Bureau of Labor statistics reports there are about 150,000 construction site injuries every year in the US. Annually, more than 300 people die in work-related accidents in the state of Florida alone. The most common causes of construction site deaths and injuries are falls and interactions with equipment, but failing to secure a work site can lead to all sorts of accidents.
Companies that set up construction close to a major highway like I-95 need to be careful to protect workers from accidents involving vehicles. This may include things like putting up the proper signage, diverting traffic when crews need to work on the road itself or very close to it, and making sure workers are kept a safe distance from moving traffic in all situations.
Drivers should also be especially careful driving in or near highway work zones. In some areas, fines for traffic violations increase in these areas in order to ensure drivers continue at a slow and safe speed.
