VALDOSTA — Three Georgia Department of Transportation employees were transported to the hospital Wednesday afternoon as a precaution after a tractor-trailer struck a state buffer vehicle, which resulted in a chain reaction crash.

The crash happened shortly before noon near Delmar Road on U.S. 84/state Route 38 in Lowndes County. The sign shop crew, which is based out of the Tifton GDOT office, was installing raised pavement markers on the centerline of the roadway. They had started at the Lowndes County line and were working their way back toward Valdosta.

The employees were taken by ambulance to the South Georgia Medical Center in Valdosta for evaluation and were released by 5 p.m. Wednesday.

The GDOT vehicles were in the outside lane of traffic. A crew cab pickup truck was in front and was pulling the raised pavement marker trailer. Two buffer trucks followed behind. Both trucks were equipped with large flashing arrow boards alerting drivers to move to the inside lane of traffic, GDOT District Safety Officer Brian Fincher said. The buffer trucks were also equipped with attenuators, devices that are designed to absorb impact.

The initial impact pushed the last buffer truck into the one in front of it, which in turn struck the raised pavement marker trailer, Fincher said.

Further inquiries about the crash should be directed to the investigating agency, the Georgia State Patrol.

Nita Birmingham
District Communications Officer
Georgia Department of Transportation