Write Up:

While the ultimate goal is to eliminate work zone crashes, the goal for this measure is to reduce the number of protective vehicle/truck or trailer-mounted attenuator crashes below the previous 4-year average.

In the second quarter of 2025, MoDOT reported 15 protective vehicle crashes in work zones. The number of crashes through the second quarter is 23% higher than the year-to-date average of the previous four years. The reported crashes can be very minor resulting in minimal or no repair to protective units. They can also be more significant resulting in total loss of equipment or injury to involved parties. New protective units can range from $50,000-$80,000 which does not include staff time, truck damage, lost wages, or medical expenses. The most significant cost from this type of incident is potential lifelong injuries that can affect an employee's quality of life or loss of life which no cost can be quantified.

This quarter, three employees involved in TMA/TrMA/PV crashes sought medical attention for their injuries.  The 15 protective vehicle crashes in the second quarter occurred predominantly in urban areas on major routes during daytime operations.  Those operations included nine pothole patching, four sweeping, one spraying herbicide and one while landscaping (weed eating guardrail).  

Purpose of the Measure:

MoDOT owns more than 600 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.