Highway construction is deadly work. In 2021, fatal accidents in highway work zones increased 11% from the prior year, with deaths rising from 863 to 956, according to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
Nobody knows that better than Dennis Demoss, project superintendent for Indiana-based paving company Rieth-Riley Construction. Demoss’ son, Coty, also an employee of Rieth-Riley, was killed working on the highway in 2014. Rieth-Riley, based in Goshen, had a contract to repair Interstate 69, working at night to get the job done faster. At about 5 a.m. Coty Demoss and co-worker Kenneth Duerson were removing cones to avoid impeding rush-hour traffic. A vehicle going more than 70 mph struck both workers, killing them instantly.