How often these injuries happen
OSHA recorded 298 cases involving you being struck by vehicles in road work zones over the past decade. Fractures are the most common injury, accounting for 56% of all reported incidents. These injuries often require extensive surgery and long-term rehabilitation.
When you are struck by a motorized vehicle, the force often results in life-altering trauma. These incidents are rarely minor and frequently lead to permanent physical limitations.
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These injuries typically occur when you are performing flagging duties or manual labor near active traffic lanes. The primary sources of injury are motorized roadway vehicles, which account for 39% of all reported incidents. Whether it is a passenger car veering into a closed lane or a truck backing up without a spotter, these events often stem from failures in traffic control and site visibility.
| Injury Type | Incidents | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fractures | 156 |
| 2 | Severe wounds or internal injuries and other injuries | 30 |
| 3 | Traumatic injuries or exposures— unspecified | 29 |
| 4 | Intracranial Injuries | 21 |
| 5 | Amputations, avulsions, enucleations | 12 |
| 6 | Injuries to internal organs and major blood vessels | 8 |
| 7 | Cuts, lacerations, punctures without injury to internal structures | 7 |
| 8 | Injuries to the brain, spinal cord and other injuries | 4 |
Where injuries happen most
Construction accounts for 69% of all reported incidents, reflecting the high-risk nature of working on active roadways. You are frequently exposed to heavy machinery and high-speed traffic without adequate physical barriers. Administrative services also see significant risk, often involving you when tasked with flagging or site management without the same protective equipment as heavy construction crews.
Real cases like yours
Common patterns in these incidents include you being struck while directing traffic, assisting with backing vehicles, or standing near traffic control devices. Many reports show that even in fully closed lanes, vehicles often enter the work zone due to driver error or inadequate signage. If any of these scenarios sound like what happened to you, an attorney can help you review the specifics of your incident.
| Year | State | Industry | Incident summary | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | TX | Construction | "On July 10, 2025, two crews were removing stripes and then re-striping pavement in a lane that was fully closed. The injured employee was assisting a subcontracted blasting truck with backing up approximately 1,000 feet to continue stripe removal operations. After giving directions, the employee went to mark additional spots when the truck knocked him to the ground and rolled over his lower half, resulting in fractures to both legs, his hip, and his right ankle." | |
| 2025 | PA | Construction | "An employee was performing flagging duties for a work zone while standing on the shoulder of a two-lane road. The mirror of a passing pickup truck struck the employee, resulting in injuries to their head, neck, left shoulder, and left arm." | |
| 2025 | TX | Construction | "An employee was picking up a traffic closure when an 18-wheeler rear-ended the truck-mounted attenuator (TMA). The impact spun the TMA sideways and forward; it struck the employee before impacting the barrier wall. The employee sustained a concussion to the right side of the forehead and a fractured left femur." | |
| 2025 | OH | Manufacturing | "At about 5:15 p.m. on June 14, 2025, an employee was using a walk-behind mower to mow middle islands along a road. A support truck with an arrow board sign was following behind to control traffic. The truck lurched forward and struck the employee from behind, pinning the employee against the mower. The employee suffered a fractured hip, a right iliac wing fracture, right femoral nerve damage, and puncture wounds to the right leg. The employee was hospitalized." | |
| 2025 | PA | Administrative Services | "An employee was flagging traffic on a public road near a tree trimming operation. A car stopped next to him as he stood on the shoulder. A second car, approaching at high speed and about to strike the first car, veered onto the shoulder and struck the employee instead. He suffered a broken tooth, a laceration on his tongue, a laceration and bruise on his head, several broken bones, and a hematoma on his left thigh. He was hospitalized." | |
| 2025 | FL | Administrative Services | "An employee was blowing grass clippings while performing landscaping activities near the shoulder of the road. A vehicle mounted the curb and struck the employee. The road was wet at the time. The employee sustained injuries to their head and lower body." | |
| 2025 | ND | Construction | "An employee was raking gravel in a road lane. A pilot car struck the employee, who suffered fractures to their ribs, tailbone, and right hip." | |
| 2025 | FL | Administrative Services | "An employee was placing traffic cones for a lane closure when a vehicle entered the closure zone and struck them. The employee suffered a broken right tibia and knee." | |
| 2025 | AL | Wholesale Trade | "An employee was walking down the road when a tack truck backed over him. The employee sustained fractures to his right ankle and a crushed pelvis." | |
| 2025 | TX | Utilities | "An employee was installing material on a utility pole before setting the pole into the ground. A vehicle entered the work area and struck the pole. The utility pole struck the employee in the leg and they were hospitalized with a fractured leg." |
Source: OSHA Severe Injury Reports. Narratives are verbatim from filings; identifying details may have been redacted by OSHA.