Thirty seconds could have changed the fate of Robert Lewis and his road maintenance staff.
Lewis and his colleagues had just arrived at the scene along State Highway in Frederick and were preparing to pick up trash. Just as the workers were about to begin work, a dump truck rammed into their car.
“When I got out of the truck, the next thing I saw was car parts flying through the air,” Lewis said. “I ran away. When I turned around, the back of the dump truck was within six inches of my head.”
Lewis said the truck they were driving was using warning lights. The crew members were wearing high-visibility safety vests.
“We did everything right, but we still almost lost our lives,” Lewis said.
The impact caused his truck to move. The crew working with Lewis scattered.
“I did a head count,” he said. “You can't imagine how relieved I was that everyone on the team was safe.”
Lewis said the driver had only encountered a “minor traffic violation.”
“I wish I could stand here and say that such a risk is rare, but it's not,” Lewis said. “In fact, I could spend an hour telling you story after story of all the close calls we've had. Especially since our workshop collapsed just last year. .”
Lewis told this story while standing on an overpass overlooking Interstate 695 in western Baltimore County. Just a month after Lewis' own near-death experience, six highway construction workers were killed in a high-speed two-vehicle collision that caused their vehicles to tilt. Go to an active work zone.
Maryland transportation officials and Lt. Gov. Aluna Miller (D) hosted the national kickoff to National Labor Zone Awareness Week on Tuesday. The event was held on an overpass near the scene of a fatal crash on the Baltimore Beltway last spring.
“They were doing their jobs, serving their communities, and working to make Maryland better and deliver a better transportation system,” said Maryland Highway Administration Administrator Will Pines. ” he said.
On average, there are approximately 300 highway work zones per day in the state.
Since last spring, the state has recorded 14 highway worker deaths. He was one of six people killed in the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse on March 26th.
Last year, 610 people died in traffic accidents in Maryland. This is a total the state hasn't seen in nearly 20 years.
In the first 106 days of this year, 130 people died on Maryland roads. During this period, there were only 39 days without a fatality, according to Maryland Department of Motor Vehicles Administrator Kristin Neiser.
State transportation officials said they will carry out a campaign to raise public awareness about highway safety issues. The campaign features sports stars such as Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman, Hall of Fame shortstop Cal Ripken Jr. and former Ravens star Torrey Smith.
Nizer said the campaign aims to “remind people that one driver's actions while behind the wheel can have a significant impact on the lives of other drivers.”
The National Transportation Safety Board recently released a report on fatal Beltway crashes. The case is also the subject of an independent investigation being conducted by lawyers representing the families of the workers killed in the accident.
The incident led to the creation of a working group led by Miller last summer. The commission made several recommendations, including public awareness campaigns and strengthening laws.
Last week, Gov. Wes Moore (D) signed House Bill 513, which is similar to Senate Bill 479.
The new law doubles the maximum fine for work zone speed camera violations to $80 starting in June. After one year, the fines will be graduated. If speeders are caught on camera, they can be fined anywhere from $60 to $1,000, depending on their speed and the presence of highway workers.
Revenue from the increased fines would go to the Highway Safety and State Transportation Trust Fund.