- New York Thruway Worker Struck And Killed On Roadway
- US Time Change Occasions Reminder About "Drowsy Driving" Risks
- Oklahoma Has Given More Than 63,500 Teens Work Zone And First Responder Safety Training
- These are just some of the toll industry developments TRN is following.
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New York Thruway Worker Struck And Killed On Roadway
WGRZ reports, yesterday morning, at approximately 8:00 AM, a 58-year-old New York Thruway Authority maintenance supervisor was struck and killed by a passenger vehicle. The incident occurred on I-90 near exit 58 in Chautauqua County.
According to police, the supervisor was standing in front of his work vehicle, which was stopped on the highway’s shoulder, when a sedan passed over hazard markings and headed toward him. Attempting to avoid an imminent collision, the supervisor ran into the adjoining lane, where he was struck by the car after the driver corrected his steering and moved back into the lane. The driver stopped and is cooperating in the police investigation.
An official of a Teamsters Union local that represents public workers told WGRZ, “Some accidents cannot be prevented, but we have to do everything in our power to try to minimize anything like this. . . .” He added the union wants to see “more, maybe police presence on the job sites when the workers are out there, because that does have people slow down when you see law enforcement,” and “more bumper trucks to protect the workers. . . .”
Governor Kathy Hochul released a statement urging motorists to drive cautiously and reminding them that Monday’s incident was the second fatal crash involving a Thruway maintenance worker this year.
Thruway Executive Director Frank Hoare issued a condolence statement that echoed the governor’s call on drivers to be alert and cautious in places where highway crew members are at work.
Highway-Tunnel-Bridge Maintenance Highway-Tunnel-Bridge Safety (Includes COVID-19 Impacts) New York New York State Thruway AuthorityUS Time Change Occasions Reminder About "Drowsy Driving" Risks
The New York Thruway Authority issued a news release to remind drivers that “drowsy driving” is a particularly acute problem at this time of year because of the shift from daylight savings time to standard time. According to public health and safety experts, “Despite the additional hour gained in the time change, it can disrupt sleep patterns, causing people to feel drowsy.” Statistics cited by the Thruway show that driver fatigue, though an underreported crash factor, is still known to have significant safety implications, accounting for hundreds of deaths and tens of thousands of injuries every year.
The Thruway authority is a member of the New York State Partnership Against Drowsy Driving (NYPDD), an organization started in 2004 to educate the public and high-risk groups about the dangers of drowsy driving and to promote preventive strategies. Among other things, it distributes safety messages this time of year as its contribution to national campaigns aimed at raising awareness of the dangers of driving while fatigued. NYPDD “also cautions against relying upon common strategies to overcome fatigue and avoid drowsiness, such as opening a window, turning on air conditioning or playing loud music. In addition, the effects of caffeine can take a half hour to set in and only provide a short-term increase in driver alertness. The safest thing to do when drivers experience drowsiness is to pull over and find a safe place to sleep.”
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) maintains an online information resource about drowsy driving.
Highway-Tunnel-Bridge Safety (Includes COVID-19 Impacts) New York New York State Thruway Authority US National Highway Traffic Safety AdministrationOklahoma Has Given More Than 63,500 Teens Work Zone And First Responder Safety Training
Oklahoma DOT is marking the one-year anniversary of Work Zone Safe, its required online training program for teen drivers. The aim is to personalize the experience of navigating emergency sites and work zones for intermediate driver’s license applicants. Oklahoma was the first state to require such training, however, “Wisconsin also now requires a similar course and several other states have started the process to implement Work Zone Safe.” In addition to the online training, Oklahoma’s program involves a traveling, in-person presentation by highway workers that “lets students get an inside look at work zones and lets them hear directly from highway workers on what they should be doing when driving through work zones to make it home safely every time.”
ODOT notes, a total of 72 employees of ODOT and the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority have died in the line of duty, which is a higher casualty rate than that experienced by any other civilian agency of state government.
Highway-Tunnel-Bridge Maintenance Highway-Tunnel-Bridge Safety (Includes COVID-19 Impacts) Oklahoma Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) Oklahoma Turnpike Authority (OTA) Public Outreach And CommunicationThese are just some of the toll industry developments TRN is following.
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