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JEFF DUCHARME
TELEGRAPH-JOURNAL

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SAINT JOHN - A truck crashed into another truck that was doing bridge maintenance just before midnight Wednesday, injuring two workers.

One of the two maintenance workers had his hand on the door and was getting ready to exit the pickup when the crash occurred. Had he been stepping out, the injuries could have been far more severe.

"It could have been a lot worse," said Ken Anthony, the general manager of the Harbour Bridge.

One of the workers, who were both employed by a contractors, suffered multiple fractures to his arm and the other suffered severe whiplash.

The 36-year-old driver of the truck that hit the workers wasn't seriously injured and failed a breathalyser test.

The impact was so severe that the truck that hit the workers travelled a further 100 metres along the westbound lane of the bridge and moved five concrete barriers before it came to a stop.

Both trucks were written off and damage is estimated at $100,00. The side of the maintenance truck was ripped off.

Pylons were placed for 1.5 kilometrers behind the workers and a 4x8 foot flashing arrow sign was operating to notify drivers the truck was there, but still the workers were struck as they collected pylons.

Anthony said the bridge authority preaches safety to its crews and takes all the precautions possible, but some drivers just don't pay attention.

"We see near misses every day," said Anthony.

In addition to the drivers not paying attention are the drivers that treat the pylons as a slalom course - swerving in and out between the pylons as if it was a game. All too often, said Anthony, maintenance workers suffer near misses and have to dodge cars.

"Like it's driver's ed or something," Anthony said.

"You go up there with the lights flashing and you hope people will see you," said Anthony.

"It's really kind of scary."