Write Up:

While the ultimate goal for this measure is to eliminate work zone crashes, the prime objective is to reduce the number of protective vehicle/truck-mounted attenuator (TMA) crashes below the previous four-year average.

In the first quarter of 2024, MoDOT had 13 reported TMA crashes. The number of crashes through the first quarter of 2024 is just under the year-to-date average for the previous four years. These crashes can cause less than $100 in damage to the TMA, but most require a new protective vehicle costing approximately $50,000. This does not include staff time, truck damage, lost wages, or medical bills. The most significant cost from TMA crashes is the impact on MoDOT employees experiencing severe injuries that will affect them for the rest of their lives. Those costs cannot be quantified with a dollar value.

This quarter, one employee involved in a TMA crash sought medical attention for injuries. All TMA crashes this quarter occurred during the day, predominately in urban areas. Operations in which crashes occurred included 11 pothole patching, one sweeping and one litter pickup.

Purpose of the Measure:

MoDOT owns more than 500 truck- or trailer-mounted attenuators used to help save lives by absorbing the impact of a crash in a work zone. By measuring the number of TMA/protective vehicle hits, MoDOT can identify and share information about higher-risk activities that could result in a crash and develop strategies to eliminate work zone crashes.  

Measurement and Data Collection:

When a TMA incident occurs, a claim report is completed. The claim report and any associated police reports are reviewed by Risk Management Technicians for interpretation. A statewide work zone incident team reviews TMA incidents and seeks strategies for operations improvement to reduce or eliminate the incidents. Only incidents where the TMA was in an active work zone protecting workers are included in this data. This measure is reported based on quarters of a calendar year.