Video footage sought after car hits, hospitalizes flagperson

Police are turning to video footage to determine if charges will be laid after a flagperson was struck and hospitalized, as those in the construction industry once again ask drivers to be more considerate of people working on the province's roads.

The accident happened Thursday on Kenmount Road in St. John's near City Honda. That's where construction crews were doing roadwork in the area.

The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary said a car drove past one flagperson and then struck the second.

'I just thought, not again'

"I just thought, not again," said Jackie Manuel, CEO with the Newfoundland and Labrador Construction Safety Association.

"It seems over the last number of years we have just heard this story so many times where a traffic control person has been injured and it is totally preventable," she said of Thursday's accident.

The flagperson who was knocked down was rushed to hospital in St. John's where they were kept overnight and released the next day.

"It's not difficult to miss the big orange signs, sometimes we wonder what more could be done," Manuel told CBC News.

Flag training required

Manuel said there are things being done to try and understand how to make and keep road workers safer, like the creation of a taskforce with representation from the industry, police and government.

"Whether it's better signage or different signage, different training, driver education … there is still a lot of work that is left to be done," she said.

Manuel added that all flagpersons need to meet a certain training requirement set by Occupational Health and Safety.

"Unfortunately one of the major hazards to our flagpeople is the motoring public, and they have little to no control over that," Manuel said.

Meantime police are interviewing witnesses to the accident and say there may also be video of what happened. Their investigation will determine if charges are laid.