Caltrans District 5 employees gathered Wednesday for the 31st annual Worker Memorial to honor workers who have died in the line of duty and to focus on safety.
The ceremony took place on the front lawn of the Caltrans district office on Higuera St. in San Luis Obispo.
The ceremony included a time of remembrance and featured speakers who focused on ongoing efforts to keep Caltrans workers safe.
189 Caltrans workers across the state have lost their lives while on the job since 1921, including eight workers in District 5.
Tim Gubbins, Caltrans District 5 Director, told KSBY that drivers on the highway pose the greatest risk to workers.
"So slow down and increase your awareness," Gubbins said. "People can then get through our work zones safer, and the people doing the work are able to do it."
He urged drivers to pay attention to lights, cones and signs on the highway.
"The men and women of Caltrans—[...] this is their office," Gubbins said. "As you're driving by at 65, 70 miles an hour, they're out there each and every day, trying to improve your experience and make it safer.
Caltrans says there have been no fatalities statewide since Sept. 2019, marking the longest stretch of time without a fatality in the past 75 years.
