WSDOT Driver Recognized For Life-Saving Maneuver

SEATTLE — A state employee received recognition on Friday for a move WSDOT said saved the lives of an entire road work crew.

In the WSDOT blog, writer Mike Allende wrote that on Sunday, the driver of a truck mounted attenuator was helping protect road work crews by blocking off a closed ramp when he saw a truck drive around traffic cones and into a work zone, presumably trying to take the closed Roanoke exit ramp.

Thinking quickly, the WSDOT driver quickly moved his truck over in the path of the oncoming vehicle, pinning it between the truck and a barrier on the highway.

Allende wrote that the driver of the truck mounted attenuator was injured earlier this year when his truck was struck by a car speeding near a work zone. The driver, who was not named, had just returned to work in July after recovering from his injuries.

According to the blog, no one was seriously injured in Sunday's incident. The driver's actions prevented the vehicle from speeding into work crews, potentially injuring or killing several people.

An investigation found the driver of the vehicle was not impaired, but he was charged with negligent driving.

"While we are thankful for our teammate's quick actions and that no one was seriously injured in the most recent incident, work zone collisions are an all-too-frequent part of our road crews' lives," Allende wrote. "The workers are someone's parent, child, spouse, sibling or friend. They are more than just a hard hat and work vest, and they want to go home safely at the end of the day."

WSDOT urges drivers to stay alert when near road work crews, drive slowly and never enter a closed road or lane.