AUSTIN, Texas – Two people were killed Sunday when their car crashed into a construction zone in South Austin, so authorities are urging drivers to be cautious near construction sites, especially as more highway construction is set to begin in downtown Austin this fall.

According to police, the accident occurred on Sunday, August 11, around 8:30 a.m. on I-35 south of William Cannon Drive.

“The accident involved a single vehicle traveling north on I-35,” said Captain Christa Stedman of Austin-Travis County EMS.

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The car apparently entered a construction site, broke through street barricades, crashed into a concrete pillar and caught fire.

“We had two adult patients in the vehicle. One of them was trapped in the vehicle and was pronounced dead at the scene. We were able to extricate the second patient from the vehicle, but he was also pronounced dead at the scene,” said Captain Christa Stedman of Austin-Travis County EMS.

In 2023, 190 people were killed in Texas work zones. 77% of them were drivers or passengers of vehicles. Dozens more were road workers.

With more construction work expected in the coming months, authorities are urging drivers to exercise extra caution to prevent another fatal accident.

“It’s important not to just operate on autopilot,” Stedman said.

RELATED: Major I-35 reconstruction project begins this fall

The I-35 Capital Express Central Project through downtown is scheduled to begin in October with reconstruction of the MLK Blvd. bridge over I-35, meaning it will be more important than ever to drive undistracted, sober and within the speed limit.

“It’s very important that you know when the speed limit changes in a construction zone, that you know where the barriers are and that you pay attention to when lanes change when people in front of you are braking,” said TxDOT spokesman Kellen Mohrmann.

FOX 7 Austin asked Mohrmann if she thought the signage in the work areas needed to be better.

“We have regulations about what signs need to be placed where in construction zones, and we are careful about where we place our signs to ensure drivers are informed well in advance of changing road conditions,” Mohrmann said.

In the case of this weekend’s accident, there were at least three signs warning of a lane change before this construction zone, highlighting why it’s so important to keep your eyes on the road.

“After you check your route, save it to your phone and then put the phone away,” Mohrman said.