Construction worker injured after driver crashes into work zone

(FOX 2) - It was Wednesday night on I-96 near the Milford Road exit in Lyon Township when a road crew was getting ready to work and the unthinkable happened. 

“While the crew was getting ready to set up, unfortunately there was a crash in that work zone,” said Diane Cross MDOT. 

To be specific, it was dark out around 10:00 p.m. when one of the workers saw a car coming right towards them. 

“He yelled to his co-worker, get out of the way,” said Cross.” The co-worker jumped over the guard rail and was safe.”

Even though he was able to warn his co-worker, the man who was standing in the back of the truck was thrown to the ground when the car crashed into the work site. 

Miraculously, his only injury was a concussion.

“Your job when you’re behind the wheel is to pay attention,” Cross said.

But MDOT says many drivers are doing the complete opposite. 

The 34-year-old man who crashed his car into the work site was believed to be under the influence, according to Michigan State Police. They are still waiting for blood test results. 

Construction engineer Bill Erben says MDOT does everything it can to warn drivers about construction zones. 

“We’ll have message boards that give the message of advance construction. We’ll have temporary pavement markings. We’ll have signs, barrels,” Erben said.

But it still all comes down to drivers, who can face up to one year in prison for injuring a worker and up to 15-years for a crash that results in death. The fines can go up to $7,500. 

“It’s such a razor thin margin of error,” Erben said. “You wander into the work area and somebody can die.”