53-year-old construction worker Jeffrey McLeod was struck and killed during his shift at around 1:40 PM on Wednesday, November 6th. While working on I-75 near Fort Road, McLeod was struck by a 71-year-old man from Allen Park driving a silver Kia Sedan. McLeod was setting a road flare between construction vehicles when the man claimed he was paying no attention when he swerved and ended up hitting the worker. Emergency service was immediately called and the worker was rushed to the nearest hospital where he later passed due to his extensive injuries.
Michiganders are urged to pay attention to any kind of construction or emergency vehicle. Construction workers and emergency vehicles never work around traffic, traffic has to work around them. This is exactly why we have Andy’s Law set in place, to warn people of the dangers of not paying attention when you should be. Andy’s Law was created in honor of Andy Lefko, he was 19 years old when he started his first day on a construction job, where he was struck by a drunk driver and permanently paralyzed from the neck down, Lefko later passed in 2018 to his injuries. The man who hit Andy was given a 90-day sentence and he only served half of that time. Now with Andy’s Law, depending on the severity of the situation, hitting or killing a construction worker results in a $7500 fine and spending 15+ years in prison.
Following the accident on November 6th, Michigan’s Senate has made the decision to add speed cameras to all construction sites around. This could be effective for a number of reasons. This could benefit both the construction workers and drivers on the road by giving them a sense of security and safety. This could ensure that construction workers are exactly where they need to be, and it can guarantee that citizens will abide by the rules and regulations and constantly follow safety protocols when an emergency vehicle or construction passes them. According to The Detroit News, these speed cameras will be activated any time a person goes ten miles over the limit in a construction zone. It has been confirmed that McLeod’s death played a big role in creating this law.
Jeffrey McLeod was born on April 11th, 1971 to his parents Leo and Kathrine Mexicotte. He was a big sports fan and throughout his life, he spent his free time traveling with family and coaching his son’s wrestling team. McLeod’s family and friends described him as a very hard-working man, and he was very dedicated to his family. He was a very positive person and he was always able to put a smile on somebody’s face. McLeod was survived by his wife Jennifer of nearly 30 years, and his three children Erica, Amber, and Dylan. He also had four granddaughters, Laila, Aria, Paige, and Briella. McLeod will be dearly missed by his family and all the loved ones he left behind. Drivers must be held accountable for their actions because they are irreversible and may cost somebody their life.
