PHELPS COUNTY, MISSOURI — A tractor-trailer crashed into a MoDOT protective vehicle on westbound Interstate 44 near mile marker 179 at the Doolittle exit Wednesday while the department was working on pavement improvements — and the only reason no one died, officials say, is a $50,000 Truck-Mounted Attenuator that absorbed the full force of the impact and was left completely destroyed.
Neither the two MoDOT workers nor the truck driver suffered fatal injuries. The MoDOT workers were reported by community members to be 72 and 66 years old. The truck driver, said to be 69 and from Cleveland, Texas, refused medical care at the scene. A second truck driver who was right behind the crashing semi slammed his brakes and narrowly avoided making the collision worse — an action community members credited with preventing a far deadlier outcome.
What a TMA Does
A Truck-Mounted Attenuator is a crash cushion attached to the back of a protective vehicle designed to absorb the energy of a high-speed impact before it reaches road workers positioned ahead. Some TMA devices feature aluminum tubes that compress like an accordion on impact, alongside heavy-duty energy dissipators in the center. A single unit can cost up to $50,000. The one involved in Wednesday’s crash was obliterated — but it worked exactly as designed.
“They’re well worth the money when you’re saving lives because nine times out of ten, you’re going to walk away from a hit with one of these,” said MoDOT State Maintenance Director Darin Hamelink. “Whereas if there’s not one of these in place, it could very often be fatal.”
Hamelink knows the danger firsthand. “I’ve been in some where it’s been a near miss. It’s frightening. I mean, if you’re stationary in this setup and a semi passes you doing 70 to 75 miles per hour, it can rock the entire vehicle.”
The Numbers Are Not Improving
MoDOT currently deploys more than 1,000 TMAs statewide on routes with speed limits over 45 mph. Southwest Missouri alone has over 100, with Springfield dispatching about 13. Despite that, crashes keep happening. Last year Missouri recorded 50 TMA-involved crashes. With 31 already logged this year, the state is on pace to match or exceed that total.
“They’re distracted. That tends to be the number one reason,” Hamelink said. “And so, but if you’re paying attention, there’s no reason why you should hit one of these. You have plenty of time to get over.”
MoDOT is working to install cameras on the rest of its TMAs that will automatically alert the department to high-speed approaching drivers and sound a panic alarm to warn drivers and crew.
The Community Response
The Doolittle Rural Fire Protection District shared video of the crash to educate the public about the dangers faced by road workers and the role TMAs play in keeping them alive. The district noted the crash occurred despite warning lights, signs, cones, and a protective vehicle being in place.
“Slow down. Move over. Put the phone down. Pay attention,” the fire district said. “There are real people on every side of incidents like this, and our purpose in sharing the video is prevention — not blame.”
Army Surplus, located near the crash site, also shared footage of the aftermath and called on drivers to give road workers room. “These workers are standing just feet away from vehicles flying by at highway speeds. It only takes a split second for something to go terribly wrong. Vehicles and equipment can be replaced — people can’t,” the post read.
Community accounts and interviews courtesy of local media.
📸 Image(s) used under fair use for news reporting.
