On
May 13, 2015, I was working in the westbound lanes of mile marker 217 (on the
Kansas Turnpike) up north. We had the right lane shut down because we were
milling rumble strips. I was working right inside the cones when an SUV came on
my right side. It was going at least 50 mph when it struck my right hand, hard
enough that it pushed in the mirror on the passenger side of the vehicle.
I’m
so lucky I wasn’t more injured than I was. My hand was sprained and bruised,
but fortunately, not broken. However, I was placed on restricted duty at work
due to limited mobility and even had to attend physical therapy four or five
times. In fact, due to some lingering pain and a tingling sensation, I will be
visiting a specialist soon to look for further issues.
The
vehicle that hit me? They didn’t even stop when it happened, and troopers
caught the individual at mile marker 183. The driver told troopers she was
afraid to stop because she knew she hit something, but not sure what it was.
It’s
crazy to think that if that vehicle had been even one foot closer to me, I
could have easily been killed. Please, slow down when you see workers on the
road. Yes, roadwork can be an inconvenience, but we do it to make the roads
better for you. We want to get home to our families after a day of work too,
just like everyone else.
Larry Crane is an Assistant Highway
Maintenance Foreman with the Kansas Turnpike Authority in the Bonner Springs
area
This is why Kansas has a Move Over law. Unfortunately, that doesn't offer any protection for workers like Larry, who still have to be on the road, vulnerable to traffic. Thanks for maintaing the roads we all depend on, Larry and co-workers. Good luck with your hand.
ReplyDeleteEveryone is in such a hurry these days. Please slow down and respect what these brave people are trying to do for us. I've seen many folks like Larry working in unprotected areas and it's scary to watch. Stay safe out there.
ReplyDeleteLarry, I am so glad you weren't hurt more seriously. It seems that any time I travel through a work zone, I notice a driver who is not driving safely - either they are speeding, tailgating, or are distracted in some way.
ReplyDeleteThis weekend, as we were riding our motorcycle through eastern Kansas on our way to a gathering in SW Missouri, we saw someone pulled over just after they'd passed through a work zone. I don't think people realize that even when no workers are present, the speed zones still apply, as there may be some work going on over the next hill, even on a weekend - you just never know!
Oh, and coming home from Missouri, as we crossed back into Kansas, we could feel a noticeable difference in the quality of the highway. THANK YOU for keeping our roads maintained so well in Kansas!