Giant, Orange Traffic Cone Shares Heartbreaking Story

Slow Down Sam is part of a Connecticut Department of Transportation (DOT) work zone safety initiative. The Slow Down Sam costume is intended to look like a traffic cone. The goal of Slow Down Sam is to raise awareness.

Twenty-one years ago the two brothers, Rick and Daniel DiNardi, joined the DOT. In March of 2012, Daniel was struck and killed by a tractor trailer when picking up debris on Route 8 North. After that, Rick DiNardi got involved in the “Obey the Orange” campaign, intended to raise awareness of the number of DOT workers injured and killed on roadways. DiNardi wears the costume at work zone safety awareness events, at sporting events and concerts to educate.