A commercial truck driver was cited by Oregon State Police (OSP) following an early Friday morning injury traffic crash at a highway work zone area in the northbound lanes of Interstate 5 near Lake Oswego. The crash blocked the northbound lanes for over four hours during incident response and investigation.
Preliminary information indicates on September 5, 2014 at approximately 12:46 a.m., an OSP trooper drove upon the crash scene shortly after it happened in the northbound lanes of Interstate 5 near milepost 291 at a highway work zone where a contract company was involved in a striping project for ODOT.
A commercial truck driven by KENNETH L. GRAVEN, age 58, from Glendale, was northbound when it was involved in a collision with two construction vehicles. The truck jackknifed and came to rest blocking the northbound lanes. Two contract workers were injured and transported by ambulance to Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) with non-life threatening injuries. Their names or other information about their activity at the time of the crash is not available.
GRAVEN was transported by ambulance to Meridian Park Hospital with a minor injury. He was cited by OSP for Reckless Driving.
ODOT coordinated removal of vehicles and cleanup of fuel and debris at the scene. Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue assisted at the scene.
OSP and ODOT urge drivers to be alert for highway work zones and workers day and night. According to ODOT:
* Work zone crashes are often more severe than other types of crashes.
* Most work zone crashes are caused by drivers not paying attention.
* Speeding - or driving too fast for conditions - is the second leading cause of work zone crashes.
* More than 40% of work zone crashes happen in the transition zone prior to the work area.
* Drivers and passengers are more likely to be injured or killed than on-site workers.
* Fines in work zones are double 24/7 whether workers are present or not.
More information about highway work zone safety is available on ODOT's website at:
http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/ts/Pages/workzonesafety.aspx
No photographs or other information available for this release.
### www.oregon.gov/OSP ###
Preliminary information indicates on September 5, 2014 at approximately 12:46 a.m., an OSP trooper drove upon the crash scene shortly after it happened in the northbound lanes of Interstate 5 near milepost 291 at a highway work zone where a contract company was involved in a striping project for ODOT.
A commercial truck driven by KENNETH L. GRAVEN, age 58, from Glendale, was northbound when it was involved in a collision with two construction vehicles. The truck jackknifed and came to rest blocking the northbound lanes. Two contract workers were injured and transported by ambulance to Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) with non-life threatening injuries. Their names or other information about their activity at the time of the crash is not available.
GRAVEN was transported by ambulance to Meridian Park Hospital with a minor injury. He was cited by OSP for Reckless Driving.
ODOT coordinated removal of vehicles and cleanup of fuel and debris at the scene. Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue assisted at the scene.
OSP and ODOT urge drivers to be alert for highway work zones and workers day and night. According to ODOT:
* Work zone crashes are often more severe than other types of crashes.
* Most work zone crashes are caused by drivers not paying attention.
* Speeding - or driving too fast for conditions - is the second leading cause of work zone crashes.
* More than 40% of work zone crashes happen in the transition zone prior to the work area.
* Drivers and passengers are more likely to be injured or killed than on-site workers.
* Fines in work zones are double 24/7 whether workers are present or not.
More information about highway work zone safety is available on ODOT's website at:
http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/ts/Pages/workzonesafety.aspx
No photographs or other information available for this release.
### www.oregon.gov/OSP ###