In Canada, 22.5 per cent of fatal and serious injury collisions are caused by distracted driving, according to 2021 Transport Canada’s National Collision database. 

For roadbuilders, protecting themselves from distracted drivers is a top concern when on the jobsite. 

From January 2017 to December 2023, there were 232 critical injuries and 25 fatalities resulting from vehicle and equipment strike-by incidents in Ontario construction workplaces, according to the Ontario Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development.

The government of Alberta states in a 2023 press release that the province had 2,229 struck-by incidents from 2014 to 2018. According to WorkSafe B.C., the province saw 35 struck-by and 10 struck-against injuries in the road construction and maintenance sector in 2023. 

To maintain worker safety while on the jobsite, the road building industry is developing practices to keep drivers alert and workers safe, especially in low visibility or noisy environments. 

In May the province of New Brunswick in partnership with WorkSafeNB, the New Brunswick Road Builders and Heavy Construction Association, and the New Brunswick Construction Safety Association launched their annual traffic safety awareness campaign.

New Brunswick’s campaign reminds drivers to slow down, follow speed limits and exercise caution in construction zones via social media posts, signage and local radio stations.

A traffic management plan is key to keeping workers safe

Peter Wehmeyer, founder and president of Cobblestone Safety Consultants Inc., has worked in the industry for more than 30 years. In 2010, Wehmeyer started his company managing temporary traffic control, and it is safe to say traffic management is his bread and butter. 

When it comes to keeping roadbuilders safe on the jobsite, Wehmeyer explains that a traffic management plan is the best way to go. This means inspecting the site beforehand and delegating where to place signs and preventive barriers. 

“In our industry, the biggest thing to do is attract the driver’s attention. Positive guidance is key, so the driver has the information they need to understand and react appropriately.” 

Traffic management plans include spotters, flaggers, Road Work Ahead signs, traffic cones, barriers and barricades, as well as personal protective equipment (PPE), such as high-visibility vests and hard hats. However, Wehmeyer argues PPE is a last resort for worker safety. 

Even with all the necessary precautions, distracted drivers still cause jobsite intrusions and accidents. 

“Distracted driving comes in various forms, whether it’s someone on their phone or using a GPS,” says Rob Covassin, director of EHS, Civil East Aecon.

“As an employer, we don’t have control over people in vehicles, so we must come up with strategies to keep workers safe.” 

In 2024, there were 102 critical struck-by injuries in Ontario, according to the Infrastructure Health and Safety Association (IHSA). Jennifer McKenzie, director, stakeholder and client engagement of the IHSA, explains that keeping the driver’s attention is crucial. 

“Look at the 400 series highways (in Ontario), it takes only a moment of distracted driving for a tragedy to occur,” says McKenzie. “So ensuring that there’s high visible signage and a clear traffic control plan is essential.” 

As an employer, a concise and effective traffic control plan is the first step to keep employees safe, explains Covassin. 

“Communication is the most important thing,” says Covassin. 

One-on-one discourse about the jobsite, exposure, activities, potential hazards and how to protect yourself is paramount.

“Call it a pre-task brief, a more morning huddle, or a daily risk assessment,” explains Covassin. “Don’t fall into a routine where you become complacent in one location. The work environment changes every day.”

Like Wehmeyer and McKenzie, Covassin echoes the importance of visible and clear signage and cone barriers. Throughout his career, Covassin noticed that having a police presence in the work zone has improved driver awareness. 

“They [drivers] tend to slow down, be more alert, and pay attention. Speed radar signs and devices within the work zone have also changed drivers’ behaviours because they don’t want to get a ticket.”

One municipality made signage personal

Another method to keep drivers alert are public awareness signs. These serve as a reminder to those behind the wheel that every worker deserves to get home safe at the end of the day. 

“Municipalities should have these signs,” says McKenzie, who initially saw them used by the City of Kawartha Lakes in Ontario. “They picture a worker and read ‘Keep me safe.’ It reminds drivers that the safety of road workers is important, and that they have families to get home to as well.” 

The City of Kawartha Lakes included messaging in its campaign signs, such as ‘Together, we can all get home safe!’ with the primary objective to put the onus on the driver to protect both themselves and the road crew. Campaign signs also included images of the workers, their names and where they are from.

According to the Occupational Health and Safety Specialist, Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS), states that Canada has 14 jurisdictions, each with their own unique health and safety acts and regulations.

WorkSafe B.C., in conjunction with the government of B.C., has developed safety ads to remind and educate the public of the importance of respecting work zones. Similarly, the Ontario government has introduced Bill 229, Working for Workers Six Act, 2024, which proposes to enhance roadside worker safety by expanding existing requirements for drivers to slow down and move over when passing emergency vehicles and tow trucks under the Highway Traffic Act. 

The Manitoba Government and General Employees’ Union and SAFE Roads Committee launched the 2025 SAFE Roads campaign. The campaign emphasizes that ‘They’re Not In Your Way, They’re At Work.’ 

Despite causing traffic or road closures, it is important to remind the public that road builders are just doing their job, says McKenzie.  

If a driver feels frustrated by the traffic caused by construction, they can sometimes ignore the signs that are strategically placed for everyone’s safety.  

In 2024, a construction worker was struck by a driver in a fit of ‘road rage’ in Brockville, Ont., states the Brockville Police Service in a press release.  

“The driver was disobeying signs and traffic. One of the workers attempted to stop the vehicle, which led to a verbal dispute between the driver and a construction worker,” states the Brockville police. 

McKenzie argues that humanizing construction workers is an important part of keeping them safe. 

“The majority of the time, it’s people taking their daily commute to and from work. And our job is to ensure the roads are safe for them to drive on. People should keep that in mind.”