Road workers abused by frustrated drivers
More than 360 incidents of physical or verbal abuse directed at road workers in the West Midlands have been recorded over the past year.
Most of the abuse is targeted against traffic officers setting up roadblocks after accidents or when problems occur on the motorway network.
The research was carried out by Stamp It Out, a campaign group that aims to highlight the increasing problem of road rage.
One worker described being kicked by a pedestrian who had crossed both carriageways of the M6 motorway to attack him.
Mickey Reitsma, a National Highways officer based in Walsall, said drivers had thrown missiles at him as well as verbally abusing him.
He said it often occurred when frustrated drivers were stuck in congestion.
"It's just the way of the world unfortunately," added fellow traffic officer, Lee Henderson,
"It shouldn't be accepted but it just seems to be more common."
Campaign group Stamp It Out said of the 360 incidents recorded in the past year, 324 attacks were verbal and 36 were physical.
In the most extreme cases there is anecdotal evidence of workers being threatened with knives and a crossbow, the report said.
A Midlands company at The Security Event at the NEC, in Birmingham unveiled the latest technology to help protect staff.
It includes an ID card with a hidden button to record abuse and bodycams which record footage monitored in real time at a remote control room.
The technology would help enable successful prosecutions of those carrying out the abuse, said Adam Barrett of Clearway Technology.
"So people recognise you can't get away with road worker abuse, be it physical or verbal."