Tampa, Fla. – Last month, the lives of two Tampa Bay road workers were taken by drivers under the influence, in two separate accidents. Michael Brown and Todd Brown (no relation), were both struck and killed while hard at work, building, maintaining, and making our Tampa Bay roads a safer place to drive.
In Tampa, speeding fines are doubled if road workers are present at the time of the infraction. (FDOT)
But that hasn’t stopped drivers from traveling at high speed, and sometimes, driving under the influence while road workers are present. In the early hours of the mornings of September 2020, both men were struck and killed only 2 weeks apart.
Michael was tacking a small sign onto a barrier wall when he was struck and pushed over the side of the overpass. While Todd was painting lines on I75 when he was hit while within the construction zone.
Both men were struck by drivers who have been charged with DUI and vehicular manslaughter.
In both cases, the drivers who struck these road workers did not know they had hit the victims and in the case of Todd Brown, his accuser was heard offering to pay a nearby driver to Brandon.
Both drivers are in custody and awaiting trial.
Between 2017 and 2018, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that 42 road workers were killed in Florida alone. (BLS)
New technology is being developed to help road workers stay a little safer in the future in the form of “smart” moveable barriers.
The best way to make our roads safer is to ensure that the law is upheld and drivers and victims are represented by pedestrian accident lawyers that understand how to fight to not only win the case but to make sure the legal system recognizes these ricks.