Road commission reminds drivers to be cautious after I-75 tragedy in Detroit

GENESEE CO., Mich. (WNEM) - A road worker died after being hit by a car on I-75 in Detroit on Wednesday, Nov. 6, and it serves as a reminder to be careful driving in work zones.

Michigan State Police (MSP) said the worker was setting a road flare between construction vehicles when a car crossed the lane and hit him.

"These are people's lives who are out there working. These are mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers. So you're not just thinking of yourself on the road, you're also thinking of these people's lives you come across as well," said Kylie Dontje, communications coordinator for Genesee County Road Commission (GCRC)

A 57-year-old man is dead after MSP said he was hit by a car while he was working on the side of the I-75 in Detroit.

It's a situation the GCRC understands all too well.

"There was a road commission worker several years ago who unfortunately was hit and killed on M-14. His name was Dennis Bundy, and we lost one of our good workers because somebody was distracted," Dontje said.

Last year in Michigan, 20 people, including two construction workers, lost their lives in work zones.

While police haven't said what caused the driver to hit the worker in Detroit, Dontje said it's important to pay attention, be alert, and slow down when entering a work zone.

"The signs can only do so much. There's a level of responsibility the drivers have to take the signs into consideration for their decisions," she said.

And even though construction season is winding down, workers are still out.

"We're nearing the end of the year here. Maybe people are fatigued from seeing the orange signs and cones, but there is still work to be done. We still have some good weather, so our workers are going to be out on the roads doing maintenance activities," Dontje said.

And as we near winter, drivers need to watch out for workers operating plows.

"This year, there's a new law signed in July where drivers have to stay 200 feet behind a slow plow; if they're at an intersection, it's 20 feet. And so that's just to make sure our snow plow drivers and drivers on the road are safe because getting in a crash with a snow plow can be detrimental to drivers as well," Dontje said.

She said the GCRC trains employees regularly on safety to make sure they're highly visible and in the safest positions possible. However, she said other drivers still have a responsibility to pay attention.