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VDOT encourages drivers to slow down, pay attention after accident with safety service patrol

VDOT officials are urging drivers to pay attention while on the road. Last week, someone hit a VDOT truck as it sat on the side of the road with its lights flashing.

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — More people are hitting the highways as the spread of coronavirus slows down in Hampton Roads. Officials with the Virginia Department of Transportation said they are seeing an increase in close calls and accidents with their safety service patrol.

“A lot more hazards to our safety crews working along the side of the road. The shoulder, people not obeying the move over law,” explained Russell Sullivan.

Sullivan is VDOT’s Eastern Region Senior Supervisor. He said with more drivers on the roads, it’s causing more dangerous situations for VDOT’s safety service patrol. Last week, someone hit a VDOT truck from behind.

Sullivan said, “He had all his lights on, signaling for traffic to go around him and got rear-ended by a suspected drunk driver.”

On Sunday, there was a near-miss for a VDOT worker near Charlottesville. A car slammed into a vehicle on the side of the road, which no one was in at the time. Luckily, officials said the person who crashed into the car is expected to be OK.

“All of our trucks are recorded, so we see a lot of stuff out of those. We have guys that write up safety observations and near misses and close calls every day” Sullivan explained.

He wants to remind people to please move over and slow down when seeing emergency vehicles on the side of the road.

He said, “If you respect us as a family member then we can all go home to our families at the end of the night and that is all we ask for.”

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