National Work Zone Week's Drive to Survive
Last week marked the 10th anniversary of National Work Zone Awareness Week. The weeklong safety campaign marks the beginning of construction season and educates drivers on the dangers of travelling through and working in highway construction and repair sites.
Each year an estimated 1,000 people are killed in roadway work zones. Of the fatalities, four out of five are motorists, representing two percent of the nation’s driving deaths, with an additional 40,000 injured annually. With $27 billion in economic recovery funds recently allocated to repair the nation’s roads and bridges, the number of injured and deceased may well increase in 2009.
When entering a work zone, drivers are encouraged to slow down and pay attention, stay in their lane and not tailgate, and expect delays. Speed limits are often lowered and speeding tickets doubled to ensure the safety of workers, yet fatalities remain a concern to those hard at work.
The responsibility for a safe work zone does not, however, fall solely upon the driver. Engineers and planners must make sure the work zone is properly designed and operating efficiently, police officers must ensure that traffic laws are being obeyed, and drivers, bikers and pedestrians must be alert at all times.
For ten years, the educational week has strived to see work zone safety increase and work zone injuries decrease. But while educators may be the ones spreading the safety tips, it takes all of us to make a work zone a safe zone. And 2009’s slogan may just sum it up best:
“Drive To Survive – Our Future Is Riding On It.”
For more information on National Work Zone Awareness Week please visit: www.workzonesafety.org.
