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Local drivers putting roadside workers at risk by not slowing down in construction zones

Posted at 3:57 PM, May 24, 2018
and last updated 2018-05-24 16:50:43-04

A construction worker just hit and hurt on the job Monday, just days after we first reported on the issues impacting roadside workers across the state. 

"People won't slow down. They don't care," construction company owner, Mark Fourtounis, told News 5. 

We wanted to show you ourselves so we checked it out with a radar gun.

While we understand this may not be an official piece of equipment, it was a good tool to help understand why roadside workers are worried. 

We clocked people going 10, 15, even to 20 MPH over the speed limit through these zones. 

"We all have little kids we want to go home to," Fourtounis said.

The people who work on the roads such as police, first responders, construction workers, ODOT crews, and tow truck drivers would all like to see drivers slow down. 

RELATED: Dangerous drivers continue to put Ohio roadside workers at risk

"I've been hit by drunks twice," Jay Marek, of Rich's Towing told News 5. 

The Move Over Law was put in place back in 2009 and expanded in 2013. It requires all drivers to move over one lane when approaching any vehicle with flashing lights. If moving over isn't possible, drivers are supposed to slow down. 

"To be honest, nothing can slow them down," Marek said. 

The cost of a ticket for not moving over varies by city. Drivers can face hundreds of dollars in fines and points on their license. 

"It's amazing how many people will drive by and it's like you're not even standing there," ODOT spokesperson Amanda McFarland said. 

But unfortunately, drivers still aren't slowing down.

"They need to think about not putting their makeup on, not texting and driving, and pay attention to what the speed limits are," Fourtounis, told News 5.