Driver Killed Workers Injured On Closed Philadelphia Bridge

A tragic accident in South Philadelphia has left a 32-year-old driver dead and at least two construction workers injured. According to officials, the accident occurred around 1:30 a.m. Monday on Platt Bridge, which was closed at the time for repairs.

Officials say that the driver passed the bridge closure signs and smashed into maintenance equipment on the bridge, resulting in his death. At least two people who were working on the bridge were also suffered minor injuries in the accident. They were reportedly treated and released at a nearby hospital.

Police kept both lanes of the bridge closed until close to 8 a.m. Monday to investigate. No further details have been released.

Questions were posed by concerned readers following the story on NBC 10 Philadelphia’s website. Were there adequate warning signs letting drivers know that the bridge was closed? How did the driver get past the signs?

Surely the police investigation will attempt to answer these and other questions. If it turns out that there was not adequate signage warning drivers to stay off the bridge, whoever is in charge of the bridge repairs could potentially face a personal injury lawsuit.

Construction sites typically have many safety hazards. However, construction being performed at night can be especially dangerous to the public as well as the construction workers. If the job site is not marked off clearly enough, drivers may not realize what is going on and drive into it.

It is also more common for drivers to be asleep at the wheel or drinking and driving at night, which puts workers at a greater risk.

Source: NBC 10 Philadelphia, “Driver Dies in Crash on Closed Philly Bridge,” Feb. 6, 2012.