Prioritizing Safety to Prevent Construction Fatalities in 2025
By Kristi Ronyak
Road construction projects are among the most hazardous endeavors in the construction industry. Workers often operate in proximity to moving vehicles, heavy machinery and distracted drivers. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), “struck-by” incidents — where workers are hit by vehicles — are a leading cause of fatalities on construction sites.
“The safety of our workforce is the top priority at Michigan Paving and Materials, Stoneco, and Cadillac Asphalt,” said Rick Becker, president. “At our companies, we have implemented an employee-drive safety culture called ‘See, Stop, Do’ which encourages our teams and crews to speak up if they see any potential hazards within their workspace. We also regularly host toolbox talks and safety stand downs, during which daily safety goals and project initiatives are discussed. Still, no matter how much we as a company focus on safety, we still need the public to do their part to make sure our employees go home safe to their families at the end of the workday. We need everyone on the roads to slow down when entering work zones, keep your eyes on the road, and avoid being distracted by cell phone use while driving. We all have a part to play in keeping construction workers and motorists safe during daily activities. Even though our mission is to have zero workplace fatalities, we are grateful to partner with Construction Angels, who has provided assistance to our CRH family of companies during the tragic loss of loved ones due to a work zone intrusion.”
The Construction Angels charity found that well more than half of the donations to families in 2024 went to roadway and underground fatalities. Most of the road construction fatalities we helped this past year were from vehicles striking our workers. There were a few hit-and-runs (speeding cars that were driving through and into our work zones), distracted drivers and workers that were setting up MOT (Maintenance of Traffic Plans) on day and night jobs.
So how many construction workers were killed in 2024 by vehicles on a road construction project? Data from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) indicates that in 2021, there were 108 highway worker fatalities at road construction sites. Additionally, between 2013 and 2022, fatal worker injuries at road construction sites from all causes ranged from 94 to 143 per year. Given these historical trends, it’s reasonable to anticipate that the 2024 data, once released, will reflect similar figures.
There were 5,283 fatal work injuries recorded in the United States in 2023, a 3.7-percent decrease from 5,486 in 2022, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) National Census of Fatal Occupational injuries reported on Dec. 19, 2024. They also reported in 2023, there were 1,075 fatalities in the construction industry, marking the highest number since 2011. Of these, 240 deaths were attributed to transportation incidents, which include workers being struck by vehicles.
Transportation incidents were the most frequent type of fatal event, accounting for 36.8 percent (1,942) of all occupational fatalities in 2023. Transportation incidents were the highest cause of fatalities for both Black or African American (261) and Hispanic or Latino (390) workers in 2023. The private industry sector with the highest number of Black or African American worker fatalities was transportation and warehousing (200) and for Hispanic or Latino workers it was construction (410). Foreign-born Hispanic or Latino workers made up 67.1 percent (839) of all Hispanic or Latino worker fatalities (1,250). Fatalities in the private construction industry sector accounted for 37.5 percent (315) of the 839 foreign-born Hispanic or Latino worker deaths in 2023. Workers ages 55 to 64 continued to have the highest number of fatalities in 2023 with 1,089 (20.6 percent of total fatalities). Transportation incidents were the highest cause of fatalities for this age group (401), followed by falls, slips and trips (226). Falls, slips and trips accounted for 39.2 percent (421) of all construction fatalities, with transportation incidents accounting for another 22.3 percent (240) of fatalities. Most fatal falls (260 or 64.4 percent) within construction were from a height of between 6 and 30 feet, while 67 fatal falls were from a height of more than 30 feet. Portable ladders and stairs were the primary source of 109 fatalities in construction.
Work zone fatalities reached a 17-year high in 2021. Between 2013 and 2021, work zone fatalities increased 61 percent. In 2021, more than 105,000 work zone crashes were estimated to have occurred, resulting in more than 42,000 injuries and 954 work zone fatalities.
Protecting lives on construction sites requires a collective effort. Since we are seeing an increase in vehicle accidents over the years and the general public is not adhering to these laws, it may be more beneficial if the construction industry, government agencies and advocacy groups would “prioritize safety reforms,” such as increase law enforcement presence by deploying police officers to monitor and enforce speed limits in work zones to create a visible deterrent. A new law just passed in Michigan allowing the use of automated traffic enforcement devices in work zones to enforce speed limit reductions, signed by the Governor on December 10, 2024.
Construction Angels and other advocacy groups would like to see stronger laws and penalties for drivers who endanger workers. Stricter measures, such as increased fines, license suspensions or jail time for reckless driving in work zones could save more lives across the USA. These efforts, coupled with industry innovations and a commitment to worker safety, can make 2025 a real turning point in reducing roadway construction fatalities.
What do you believe the construction industry can do better in 2025 to secure construction work zones and prevent construction fatalities on our roadways? Please send your ideas to Contact@ConstructionAngels.us, as we would love to hear from you.
Kristi Ronyak is the CEO and founder of Construction Angels. Visit www.ConstructionAngels.us for more information on the scholarships and support they provide, how to donate, upcoming fundraisers/events and more ways you can get involved.
