According to The El Paso Times, dozens of Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) employees, dressed in orange safety vests, gathered on April 11 to honor one of their own. 
The family of a man who was hit and killed while working along US 54 last year was presented with a flag from US Rep. Pete Gallego, as a pair of work boots, gloves, safety vest and helmet sat in an empty chair. The tribute came on the final day of Work Zone Awareness Week.
The worker was killed on June 25, 2013 when he was hit by a Camaro on US 54, as he was setting up a traffic sign with another worker. The car did not stop.
Earlier this year, the 23-year-old driver that hit the worker pleaded guilty to manslaughter and causing an accident involving injury or death. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
There have been 272 TxDOT employees who have been killed on the road since the department was created, according to TxDOT records. Last year in Texas, there were 17,293 accidents in work zones, with 9,099 of them resulting in injuries and 115 in death, according to TxDOT. In El Paso alone, there were 673 work zone accidents.
El Paso Police Department Assistant Chief Michelle Gardner warned drivers and said officers will enforce all work-zone laws, including a double fine for speeding when workers are present. Police officials said those laws are in place to protect TxDOT workers and the department will continue to encourage officers to be strict when enforcing the law. Police are asking drivers to slow down when they approach a work zone, and to take extra precautions.
Was Your Family Member Killed On The Job? Our Attorney is Here By Your Side
If your family member was killed on the job, contact our Austin workers’ compensation attorney today to schedule a free consultation about your case. We know what you are going through and we are here to help.
The Law Offices of Aaron Allison – Austin Workers’ Compensation Attorney
Source: https://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/wz/outreach/wz_awareness.htm
