Caltrans held its 33rd Annual Workers Memorial Ceremony in San Luis Obispo on Thursday.
Officials say the annual ceremony is held to remember fallen highway workers.
Since 1921, Caltrans has lost 191 of its employees statewide. Locally, in District 5, eight highway workers have died while on duty. The most recent death was in 2004.
During the ceremony, family members of the victims placed eight roses on a stone representing each life lost locally.
"This is an opportunity for us to set aside time to recognize the importance of safety and the reality that it could be a dicey place to be on the side of the highway with motorists passing by at high speeds, some of which are driving impaired," said Scott Eades, Caltrans District 5 Director.
Two Caltrans workers died in 2022 -- a landscaper in District 4 was struck by a DUI driver, and a worker in District 6 was hit by a driver who ran a stop sign.
Caltrans officials want to remind drivers to move over or slow down when you see crews working on the highway.
