(January 9, 2013) –  Following the tragic incident this morning in which a driver veered into an active work zone killing two highway workers, the Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA) expresses its condolences to the family, friends and co-workers of Victor Jackson and Luis Tadeo, employed by Pessoa Construction Company.

“The men and women of SHA offer our condolences to the Jackson and Tadeo families, their friends and co-workers.  As partners in the highway industry, we view contractors’ employees as extensions of our own SHA team and are deeply saddened by the loss of these two men,” said State Highway Administrator Melinda B. Peters.  “This tragedy underscores the ever-present danger to roadway workers and we remind drivers of their role in keeping workers safe – it begins with driving attentively and reducing speeds.”

It is critical that motorists remember that work zone safety is everyone’s business and that work zones require every driver’s full attention.  Lives of both workers and motorists are at stake.  At anytime, there may be hundreds of active work zones around the State.  This incident occurred along US 40 as part of a project to improve storm water management and water quality.  Workers were in the process of placing barrels as part of the traffic management for today’s work.

There were three people killed and 688 people injured in 2011 in work zone-related crashes.  Nationally more 1,000 people are killed in work zone related crashes; the majority of those killed, four out of five, were motorists or passengers – not workers.

In eligible work zones, SHA uses automated speed enforcement through the Maryland SafeZones program as a tool to reduce excessive speeding and encourage more attentive driving in work zones.  For information about SafeZones, please visit www.safezones.maryland.gov.  SHA reminds motorists to stay alert for workers, and learn the location of active work zones by consulting www.roads.maryland.gov 

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