Staying safe on the roads: Itâs National Work Zone Awareness Week
Staying safe on the roads: Itâs National Work Zone Awareness Week By 14 News Staff | April 28, 2021 at 5:52 AM CDT - Updated April 28 at 6:04 AM
EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WFIE) - This week is National Work Zone Awareness Week.
Despite fewer people on the roads last year, there were still a number of deadly accidents in construction zones.
The key is knowing where construction will be happening, and you can often see that by putting the destination in your GPS before you head out.
In Indiana, there is a work zone safety law. You could face a $10,000 fine with jail time if you kill or injure a highway worker.
knichols@newsandsentinel.com
Photo by Kyle Nichols
On Tuesday, during the Ohio Department of Transportationâs National Work Zone Awareness Week, a sign is displayed at the ODOT district 10 headquarters with the slogan âslow down and move overâ which is the main theme of the week.
By the Numbers
â« Ohio Department of Transportation crew members were struck 125 times last year and have already been hit more than 60 times this year.
â« Despite lower traffic volumes in 2020 due to the global pandemic, there were 4,540 crashes in Ohio work zones. Eighteen of those crashes resulted in 19 deaths.
â« Statistics from the National Work Zone Safety Information Clearinghouse show there were 762 fatal crashes in work zones across the U.S. resulting in 842 deaths in 2019. The majority killed were motorists, passengers and pedestrians.
ODOT, OSHP promoting work zone safety thevwindependent.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from thevwindependent.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
CADILLAC â A minor construction project started Tuesday on M-115 near the famous Cadillac/Mitchell canal, but the focus by the Michigan Department of Transportation wasn t on the work.
Instead, it was put on the safety of the construction workers and motorists who travel through the construction zone. Fall 2020 was a time of tragedy for Michigan s road and bridge workers. In a matter of three months, five road workers were struck and killed and three more were injured in work zone crashes.
As MDOT and other road agencies around the state begin another season of rebuilding and maintaining Michigan s roads and bridges, drivers, passengers, and workers must take work zone safety seriously. There were 15 fatalities total in Michigan work zones last year and 69 serious injuries, 785 injury crashes and 4,900 total crashes.
WHIZ News
OSHP Encourages Drivers to Acknowledge National Work Zone Awareness Week
MUSKINGUM COUNTY, Ohio- This week is National Work Zone Awareness Week and the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) and the Ohio State Highway Patrol (OSHP) are encouraging drivers to be cautious and pay attention, especially when traveling through work zones.
Whether its roadside workers or drivers, both can become seriously injured in a work zone with one easy distraction. With April being Distracted Driving Awareness month as well, the ODOT and OSHP both know that distracted driving and work zone crashes go hand in hand.
“Somebody who is working alongside the road, their having cars going by them at 44, 55, 60 miles an hour. You know, that’s inherently dangerous for them. If you’re not following the speed limits, if you’re not making sure that you’re making them safe, that’s putting them at risk and it’s a huge detriment to their safety.”