TDOT Highlights Work Zone Safety During National Awareness Week
The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) is marking National Work Zone Awareness Week with a powerful message: “Respect the zone so we all get home.”
Nearly nine years have passed since David Younger lost his life while working for TDOT. Younger was changing a tire on the shoulder of Interstate 40 in Hickman County when tragedy struck.
“An 18-wheeler came and plowed through that entire crew,” explained Sarah Chavarria, David’s youngest daughter. “My father was the only one who passed away out of the TDOT crew. It was a crash that could have been prevented. They had their lights on; they were off on the side of the road.”
For Chavarria and her family, the loss was devastating. “Losing my father to a careless wreck that could have very well been prevented definitely opened my eyes—definitely rocked our world,” she shared.
TDOT reports that 113 department workers have been killed in work zones throughout its history. To honor these fallen workers, officials created a memorial using traffic safety cones outside their headquarters.
Clay Culwell, director of TDOT’s Occupational Health & Safety Division, identified two consistent factors in these incidents: “Speed is one and distracted driving is the other.”
The department has implemented numerous safety measures in work zones—including improved markings, work zone alerts, and strategic project placement. However, officials emphasize that driver behavior remains the critical factor in preventing future tragedies.
Chavarria hopes her family’s story will inspire motorists to slow down and move over when approaching work zones. “It’d be a great thing for somebody when they get to hug their loved one that evening. They don’t have to go through the same grieving process and tragic event that our family had to go through.”
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