Putting safety first: the importance of national work zone awareness week

Every year, we hear tragic stories of accidents caused by reckless driving in work zones. These incidents are far too common; however, they can be prevented. That’s why this week is National Work Zone Awareness Week, a time to support public health and safety by raising awareness for driving safely in construction zones.

While this week was first nationally recognized in 2000, the concept was developed by Virginia’s Department of Transportation (VDOT) in 1997 as an initiative to promote work zone safety within its own state. Within a few short years, the campaign caught the attention of the American Traffic Safety Services Association, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials and the Federal Highway Administration. These organizations partnered with VDOT to establish the national week of recognition we have today.

While the national exposure of this topic helped to create more awareness, there is still work to do. According to National Safety Council data, more than 100 road construction workers are killed in road work zones each year. The Federal Highway Administration also found that between 2019 and 2024, more than 4,400 people died in work zone crashes, of which 85% were either a driver or passenger. During that same time period, 200,000 others were injured.

Despite these figures, there has been significant progress made in reducing fatality and injury rates in work zones. The injury rate decreased to 4.1 per 100,000 workers in 2021-2022 from 5 per 100,000 in 2013-2014. Similarly, the fatality rate dropped to 2.1 per 100,000 workers in 2023 from 3 in 2012.

This data shows us that progress is possible, and we have the opportunity every day to help make our highways and roads safer for road workers. There are several practical steps we can take to make this happen:

Obey signs and flaggers on the road and increase your following distance.Use extreme caution when driving through work zones, whether workers are present or not.Adjust your lane position away from the side where workers and equipment are located.Follow the reduced speed limit and watch for cones, barrels, signs and workers in bright colored vests to direct you where to go.

While these tips are helpful, they should be more than just suggestions. These are practical and effective tools to make our roads safer. So, as we recognize Work Zone Awareness Week, let’s remember to put safety first so our construction workers are protected from the dangers of the road.

Karl Brabenec
Assemblyman NYS 98th District