How often these injuries happen
OSHA recorded 298 severe cases involving you being struck by vehicles in road work zones over the last decade. Fractures are the most common injury type, accounting for 56 percent of these incidents, which often require extensive surgical intervention and long-term rehabilitation.
These events are particularly dangerous because they frequently involve high-impact collisions with heavy equipment, often leading to life-altering trauma that impacts your ability to return to your previous duties.
Common injuries
Most of these injuries occur when you are performing flagging duties, removing traffic controls, or assisting heavy machinery with backing maneuvers. Roadway vehicles and trucks are the primary sources of these incidents, often striking you while you are positioned on the shoulder or within the active work zone. These accidents frequently stem from poor visibility, inadequate traffic control, or drivers failing to adhere to work zone speed limits.
| 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 leads all industries, accounting for 69 percent of these severe incidents. The high volume of heavy earth-moving machinery and constant interaction with public traffic create a high-risk environment where a single lapse in communication or safety protocol can lead to a catastrophic collision.
Real cases like yours
Common patterns in these reports involve you being struck while directing backing trucks, being hit by vehicles veering into closed lanes, or being pinned against equipment by distracted drivers. These incidents often highlight failures in traffic management plans or insufficient physical barriers between you and moving traffic. 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.
Frequently asked questions
The most frequent injuries include severe fractures, intracranial trauma, and internal organ damage. Because these collisions involve significant force, they often result in injuries to multiple body parts simultaneously. An attorney can help you document the full extent of your medical needs for your claim.
Yes, Workers' Compensation is designed to cover medical expenses and lost wages for injuries you sustained during the course of employment. Even if the accident involved a third-party driver, you are generally entitled to benefits through your employer. An attorney can help ensure your claim accurately reflects the severity of your injuries.
In addition to a Workers' Compensation claim, you may have grounds for a third-party personal injury claim against the driver or their employer if their negligence caused the accident. These cases are complex and require a thorough investigation of the traffic control plan and driver conduct. An attorney can help you evaluate whether a third-party claim is appropriate for your situation.
Employers are required to implement rigorous traffic control plans, including the use of high-visibility clothing, physical barriers, and clear signaling protocols to protect you from moving vehicles. When these safety measures are ignored or poorly executed, it may constitute a failure to provide a safe workplace. An attorney can help you determine if your employer violated safety standards that contributed to your injury.