NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — It may well be the most dangerous job in the city of Nashville. Three traffic control workers are recovering after a car plowed into them at a construction site.
One of the injured victims — who says the continuing problem of distracted drivers — is a threat to everyone on the road.
The crew was working traffic control on Trinity Lane.
"It's a busy road for sure. We set up signs and pylons on both ends — 500 yards in both directions. You would think plenty of space," said Dcorey Jackson.
Jackson said the warnings didn't work. Instead a driver's car collided with their service truck, plowing right through the pylons.
"It was a bloody mess. Everyone who was involved was seriously bleeding. There's no skid marks. She didn't hit the brakes at all. And these cars are moving," Jackson said.
He and two others were injured along with an off-duty police officer working security — all requiring medical treatment, and Jackson was briefly hospitalized.
"I'm thankful to God we are all alive. I'm thankful," Jackson said.
Metro Nashville Police Department officials said the woman driver — who had a small child in the car — was distracted and that led to the crash. Mother and child were not seriously injured.
Erin Goodwin owns Raven Traffic Control and said such distraction are no excuse.
"These signs are not out there for nothing. Pay attention. You have to be careful. Guys in the roadways have families," Goodwin said.
Goodwin said with such incidents on the rise in Nashville, specific laws need to be passed to help mitigate accidents on construction sites.
No criminal charges were filed and in cases like this that's often the case. It's a situation here where the driver admits fault, wasn't drinking and stayed at the scene. Ultimately it was left to the discretion of the officer.
Goodwin understands officer discretion.
But what she would like to see is lawmakers pass a set legal speed limit for construction sites, the same way there are speed limits in school zones.
