New Report: Roadside Workers Face Higher Risk Than Previously Thought

C.G. Hoffman

Road workers face high risks and a high rate of dangerous encounters while working on highways, but the actual numbers may be even higher than previously reported. The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety says that the number of workers being hit and killed, which includes tow truck drivers, mobile mechanics, emergency roadside technicians, and safety service patrols, is four times higher than actual reports.

Dr. David Yang, president and executive director of the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, says, “Many of these crashes can be avoided if drivers focus on driving and observe the law by slowing down and moving over when they see roadside assistance providers performing their duties.”

Researchers found that 123 roadside assistance providers have been killed by passing vehicles between 2015 and 2021, much more than the 34 previously reported. The discrepancy is possible due to many of the victims being classified as “pedestrians.”

Overall, traffic fatalities have increased over the last few years, and roadside fatalities for workers have increased even more. Most crashes have occurred in places with speed limits of 55 miles per hour or higher, and most frequently on interstates or other limited access highways.