This week, departments of transportation in each state are marking National Work Zone Awareness Week.
The annual safety campaign is in its 22nd year, and it is no mistake that the national outreach effort coincides with the start of spring, when construction season begins for roads and bridges.
In 2019, an estimated 115,000 work zone crashes happened. Of those, 27,000 resulted in injuries.
There were 842 deaths from work zone crashes in 2019.
“National Work Zone Awareness Week was established with roadway workers in mind, but the statistics make it abundantly clear that everyone is at risk in work zones,” Stacy Tetschner, president and CEO of the American Traffic Safety Services Association, said in a statement.
“The goal of this week is for motorists to slow when approaching and passing through roadway work zones so everyone makes it home safely,” he added.
The 2022 National Work Zone Awareness Week Kickoff Event is scheduled for tomorrow and will be streamed live. It will be hosted by the Virginia Department of Transportation at the Fort Monroe Continental Gazebo, which overlooks the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel Project.
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Source: ATSSA