Crash on Pa. Turnpike kills driver, injures 4 workers

BENSALEM, Pa. (WPVI) -- The driver of a car is dead and four construction workers were injured after a crash early Saturday morning on the Pennsylvania Turnpike in Bucks County.

The crash happened around 5:30 a.m. in the eastbound lanes at the Bensalem interchange.

Police say the car was driven into the work zone as the contract workers were changing the traffic pattern in the eastbound lanes.

One worker was driving a truck, two were outside picking up traffic cones and the fourth was receiving the cones in the back of the truck.

The crash left one worker in critical condition at Temple University Hospital.

Another worker was also hurt and taken to Frankford-Torresdale Hospital.

Two workers with minor injuries were taken to Lower Bucks Hospital, Bristol, for observation.

The men were working for contractors PKF Mark III Inc. of Newtown, and Meco Constructors Inc. of Bensalem.

Jill Kelly lives right above the Turnpike and says she rarely sees drivers slow down through the work zone.

"I'm kind of surprised it hasn't happened sooner," Kelly said.

This is the second time this week a driver hit a construction worker in Pennsylvania. Now, Turnpike authorities are requesting state police to conduct more speed enforcement details in work zones in light of the problem.

The state police call those details "Operation Orange Squeeze." If drivers are caught travelling more than 11mph over the work zone limit, they could face $200 in fines and a 15 day driver's license suspension.