5 ODOT Crews Hit By Car In Ohio In 8 Days

CLEVELAND — Five Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) crews were hit by cars over the past eight days. Two of those crashes injured construction workers, ODOT said.

"As more and more Ohioans get back on the road, it's important that they remember to move over and slow down for our men and women working hard on the road," said ODOT Director Jack Marchbanks. "These people have families they want to safely get home to when their vital work is done."

The first crash happened May 27, when a semi-truck hit the back of an ODOT truck hauling an arrow board in Crawford County. An ODOT employee had to be flown to a Columbus hospital for treatment.

On Monday, an ODOT employee was outside of his truck, closing a ramp, when he was hit by a car. He had to be taken to a hospital due to an injury to his arm.

Then at 1 a.m. on Wednesday, an ODOT crew working on I-490 in Cleveland was hit by a car. Hours later, an ODOT pickup truck in Putnam County was hit while the employee was outside placing signs for a work zone. No one was hurt in the accident.

Then, on Thursday morning, a semi-truck clipped the front bumper of an ODOT dump truck on I-77 in Cleveland. The crew was trying to open a ramp after an overnight closure. No one was hurt.

"These crashes are 100 percent preventable. Our workers and their vehicles are highly visible when they're on the road," said Marchbanks.

Since the start of 2020, 16 ODOT crews have been hit by cars.