RALEIGH – The son of an N.C. Department of Transportation employee who was struck and killed by a vehicle last year while working on the roadside is pleading for drivers to slow down and pay attention – especially in work zones.

“I think what people fail to realize is not only does it affect your ability to have good reaction time, but you’re affecting other’s ability to react to you,” said Thomas Ramirez, the son of the late Anna Bradshaw. “I think people need to slow down and realize not only are you putting yourself in danger, but more so, there’s lives of other people that you’ve never even met that just want to go home.”

Bradshaw was an employee of NCDOT for 12 years. She and other maintenance employees were tasked with clearing a fallen tree on U.S. 264 Alternate in Wilson County after a storm on Aug. 12, 2022. She was directing traffic when she was hit and killed.

Nearing the anniversary of his mother’s death, Ramirez spoke with NCDOT about his mother, her death and how to prevent more loss.

“Everyone wants to cross the finish line and, unfortunately, that wasn’t possible for my mother,” Ramirez said. “I hope that by sharing this message, that it will make drivers a little bit more aware when they do operate their vehicles – that they should slow down and pay attention.”

Throughout North Carolina, there are numerous work zones with many NCDOT employees and contractors working in them. The Department’s No. 1 goal is safety, and it strives every day to create a safe work environment to make sure every employee gets home safely.

To watch the full video of Ramirez, click here.