Ross Thomas was in a Pennsylvania Department of Transportation truck, idling on the shoulder of a highway, when a car drifted from its lane and slammed into it. Fortunately, no one was hurt in the December crash. That’s because Thomas, an equipment operator for the department, was in a so-called “safety truck,” with an attenuator that absorbed the impact.
Thomas walked away. But he views the crash as a stark reminder of the dangers of his job — and what he could stand to lose if his state government employer had the power to compromise on worker safety.
