Nashville, Tenn. – The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) is pleading with drivers to pay attention and slow down. So far this year, our vehicles and equipment have been hit 73 times, 15 of those involving HELP Units.

The most recent happened on Thursday, in Coffee County. A driver hit a TDOT truck sitting in traffic on I-24. Thankfully, everyone is ok. Last Friday, while following procedure, a TDOT HELP Truck driver had stopped to remove debris on I-640W in Knoxville when he was nearly run over by a driver who lost control. As seen in the video, our TDOT employee then jumped in his truck to help the driver who was taken to the hospital. The driver is expected to be ok.

“We are seeing an alarming increase of unsafe and distracted drivers across Tennessee,” said Deputy Governor and TDOT Commissioner Butch Eley. “There have been 73 instances in 2024 where TDOT workers and equipment have been struck by motorists, resulting in serious injuries to both our workers and the drivers of those vehicles. Motorists need to follow the law and put down their phones as well as move over and slow down when emergency and roadside workers are present.”