A harrowing dashboard camera video has surfaced showing the moment a Louisiana Department of Transportation (LDOT) employee, working in a service truck bucket on a traffic light, was struck by an 18-wheeler.
The footage, originally shared by NBC News Channel from footage supplied by Bill Atkinson, has since gone viral, sparking widespread discussion across the utility and service truck industries.
The video shows the worker suspended in a bucket above the roadway when the semi-truck makes a left turn into the work zone, clipping the bucket and sending it swinging violently, with the worker swinging upside down. Miraculously, the LDOT employee sustained only minor injuries and did not require hospitalization.
The incident serves as a stark reminder of the dangers utility workers face daily and the critical importance of safety protocols in work zones. The Service Truck Magazine team believes this video will resonate deeply with our readership, many of whom operate in similar high-risk environments.
Industry professionals reacting to the video on YouTube and other platforms have overwhelmingly focused on safety concerns. Comments range from calls for stricter enforcement of move-over laws to discussions about the need for better visibility and protective barriers in roadside work zones.
“That lane he was working over should have been CLOSED OFF,” said a commenter on YouTube. “I’m a line tech for an ISP, and if we are working on copper or fiber over a lane, that lane is closed off for 300 ft back to divert traffic away.”
@SamuelRegazzi agreed, saying, “That's not the truck driver's fault; you guys should have put more safety cones and blocked the lane off.” And as @kushmagician pointed out, the cones are not where they should be: “Those cones are doing absolutely nothing sitting in the grass like that.”
“As a utility worker, I can say traffic control was severely lacking and the semi's awareness was severely lacking,” said @4Th3Truthful. “I see equal fault; glad the harness did its job well.”
@tonystarns879 agreed, saying, “Thank goodness he was wearing a safety cord.”
“[It’s] mostly on [the] line crew,” according to @Tarreviszla. “Things above the road have to be above a certain height, or [the] lane gets closed. Semis have a ton to look at, and they added something that a trucker normally doesn't need to worry about. We all go under tons of things that come close that aren't labeled, but they are supposed to be a minimum height or closed.”
As the utility sector prepares for its largest gathering of the year, at The Utility Expo, this incident underscores the ongoing need for innovation and vigilance in safety practices. Service Truck Magazine will continue to follow developments and highlight safety solutions at the upcoming tradeshow held in Louisville, Kentucky, this October 7-9, 2025.
Watch the video below.