.jpg)
On the morning of Feb. 22, 2000, Sam Williams, of Morton, was working as a flagger in a construction work zone on U.S. Highway 12 just west of Mossyrock when he was hit by a speeding and distracted driver.
While he survived the initial impact, Sam later died at a hospital at the age of 41 with his wife Belle Williams by his side, according to a Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) news release.
“He is not with us physically anymore, but he is always with us,” Belle said in the release. “... He hugged us and even sang ‘happy birthday’ to the twins. He was a great dad, and we had no reason to believe he wouldn’t be home that night to celebrate our girls’ birthday.”
Sam and Belle had a total of four children together, and thanks to the WSDOT Memorial Foundation, all four of their children were able to attend college thanks to scholarships from the nonprofit foundation.
“Going to college was one of Sam’s many goals for his children. The WSDOT Memorial Foundation helped make that possible,” Belle said.
Their son, Sam Williams Jr., now also works for WSDOT doing highway maintenance work out of the same facility in Morton where his father worked.
Unfortunately, WSDOT road workers still face danger daily and many have had close calls due to both drivers speeding and driving erratically through work zones.
Speeding and erratic driving increased in 2024, according to WSDOT figures. Last year, the total number of work zone-related crashes rose to 1,607, as opposed to 1,377 in 2023 — a 17% increase.
While some of those incidents were not serious, the largest increase was in serious injury crashes, which rose by 36% from 2023 to 2024. WSDOT added it's not just road workers being put at risk by speeding and distracted driving, but also nearby pedestrians and drivers and their passengers, as they account for nearly 96% of all work zone crash-related injuries.
According to the Washington State Patrol (WSP), speeding and distracted driving are two of the top three reasons for work zone crashes, with the third being tailgating.
“While even one loss is too many, we now have better tools to keep our workers and the traveling public safe in work zones. We collaborate with construction teams, unions, fellow state agencies and legislative partners to enhance work zone safety for everyone. We adopt proactive approaches to work zone design,” the release stated. “As new technology is developed, we explore new safety equipment and tactics to minimize worker exposure to traffic.”
One new piece of technology WSDOT plans on implementing this year are speed cameras in active construction zones through its Work Zone Speed Camera Program. The program — created in partnership with WSP and other safety-focused agencies — aims to have six cameras operating by this summer with the goal of saving lives of road workers, pedestrians, drivers and their passengers.
“If it saves one life, it will be worth it,” Belle said.
To learn more, visit WSDOT’s blog at https://tinyurl.com/mtykaca8.
