Six contractor employees have been struck and killed on Caltrans highway projects since Aug. 10.

Three contractor employees were killed Sept. 25 in a single incident in a Riverside County highway work zone. The deaths prompted the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) to call a safety stand-down and direct construction teams and contractors to review roadside safety protocols.

Caltrans is also establishing an executive-level safety committee with industry partners. It will examine work zone technology and safety devices and consider whether contracts could require additional safety measures.

The department described the measures in an Oct. 8 release accompanying a Sacramento press conference. It urged motorists to slow down, avoid distractions and impaired driving, and give crews space.

More information is available on Caltrans' Be Work Zone Alert site.

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