The district engineer of the Missouri Department of Transportation called it a “miracle” that two of his team members survived a crash.
A tractor trailer collided with their work truck earlier this week. While the Missouri State Highway Patrol conducts its investigation, they are still shocked.
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According to MSHP, the tractor trailer was likely traveling at 60–70 mph when the driver collided with a MoDOT worker vehicle on the interstate.
“I heard there were no skid marks,” District Engineer Chris Redline explained.
A bright orange sign warning cars about “road work ahead” has become a cautionary tale.
Contractors were working along 7 Highway, just east of Harrisonville in Cass County, on Monday morning when they struck a mangled TMA, or truck-mounted attenuator, and a work truck.
“Hit ’em square in the back at full speed,” Redlines instructed. “Again, it’s a miracle they survived.”
According to Redline, two employees were striping when the 31-year-old driver of the tractor trailer collided with the protection truck, which is now unrecognizable.
“We have people out there right now doing the same thing, and that’s what scares me,” Redline stated, “because all it takes is that one person not paying attention, and we get this.”
Sgt. Andy Bell stated that it is too early in the inquiry to determine what prompted the tractor trailer driver to fail to spot the workers or the caution signs.
Troopers are pursuing a witness who may have dashcam footage of the collision.
Bell stated that everyone was buckled.
“Fortunately, there were only minor injuries, but there was a little bit of an inferno with the collision,” Bell stated.
Redline reports that Missouri experiences attacks on about 40 crews annually, with 10–15 of these incidents occurring in the Kansas City area.
“I think there’s a lot of luck involved in this one, and we don’t want to rely on luck,” Redline stated, “because it’s not just us who get hurt in these crashes; it’s the public too, and we don’t want anybody to get hurt.”
Redline, who has worked with MoDOT for over 30 years, said he has only seen two crashes worse than this one.
“Buckle up, put your phone down, and pay attention,” Redlines instructed.
Bell advises cars to slow down and move over; it is the law.
