Donnie Powers has worked for Athens utilities for 18 years and tells WAAY31 he's witnessed drivers colliding with their equipment on 3 seperate occasions.

"We try to keep our cones and signs out as much as possible, but then there's times where people aren't paying attention or are on the phone, they are flying through here all the time"

According to the 2016 "Crash Facts" published by the Alabama Department of Transportation-- there were 652 injury causing and 18 fatal crashes on work zones in 2016.

"If we dont have to be out on the road we're not going to be out there on the road, its our safety out there so we aren't going to be out there if we don't have to be," said Powers.

"Just put the phones down, try to pay attention while driving," Powers encouraged.

"We're going to get you through as quickly as we can"

We spoke on the phone with the County Commissioner for this area and he told usthat one of the county workers in Limestone county actually had to jump off the road to avoid a car yesterday. We did reach out to that worker who had no comment on the situation.