Monday’s death of a Caltrans worker in San Diego–the third such death since May–has lead to a statewide stand down of California highway workers to review safety practices, report news sources.
According to Caltrans officials, the stand down is a temporary measure being taken in order to study field safety procedures and polices and to get input on the matter from the public.
The work stoppage will not affect construction projects by contractors, but it will halt the activities of pothole crews, landscapers, litter crews and similar other crews.
Most years, Caltrans fatalities do not exceed three people; however, this year three workers have died in the span of two months.
The most recent fatality happened Monday morning when a 52 year-old San Ysidro man was struck by a Cadillac DeVille and killed on a Mount Hope freeway. According to a Caltrans spokesperson, the man was part of the Special Programs Crew based in Chula Vista. He was picking up debris at the time of the accident.
The driver of the sedan was detained, but later released after it was determined that he was not driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. The incident is still under investigation and that any charges will depend on investigators’ findings.
The two other Caltrans workers who were killed were a 53-year-old Imperial man and a 64-year-old Jamul man. The Imperial resident died June 7 after being struck by a motor vehicle near Imperial County’s Sunbeam rest area. The Jamul man was killed when he was hit by a train on May 4.
As a Los Angeles personal injury lawyer, I am heartened to hear that the State is taking measures to review safety procedures with regard to highway workers. I hope that steps are taken to safeguard the lives of these valuable citizens.
If you or someone you care about has been injured in an accident, and you believe that the other party is at fault, contact a personal injury lawyer to find out what avenues are available to get you the support you deserve while you get back on your feet.
