National Work Zone Awareness Week: Slow Down, Save A Life

NWZAW was created to raise public awareness of work zone hazards and the importance of work zone safety.

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National Work Zone Awareness Week (NWZAW) is an annual spring campaign held at the start of construction season to encourage safe driving through highway work zones. The key message is for drivers to use extra caution in work zones. Work Zone Safety is everyone’s responsibility. Please use caution and common sense when driving through highway or city work zones. We can share the roads with everyone!

In 2018, police crash data showed that 14 people were killed and more than 650 were injured in INDOT work zones. The most common causes of collision noted by police include:

• Following too closely.
• Unsafe lane movement.
• Failure to yield right-of-way.
• Ran off roadway.
• Ran over object in roadway.
• Improper lane change.
• Driver inattention.
• Unsafe speed.

These causes resulted in the following common types of collisions: rear-end, same direction sideswipe, head-on between two motor vehicles, and roadway departure.

Tips for Driving Safely in Work Zones

• Take extra care to pay attention and expect the unexpected. Work Zone configurations can change without notice.
• Don’t text or talk on the phone and avoid taking your hands off the wheel. Distracted driving has become a crisis on all roadways. Driver inattention is a leading cause of all highway crashes.
• Watch for speed limit reductions, narrowing lanes, changing traffic patterns, and – most importantly – highway workers.
• Respect the posted speed limits and safely merge as soon as safely possible as this will allow traffic to flow smoothly. Keep in mind, driving 45 MPH instead of 55 MPH through a 5-mile work zone will only add 1.2 minutes to your trip. Speeding and aggressive driving are major causes of work zone crashes.
• Keep a safe distance on all sides of your vehicles and maintain a safe following distance. Rear-end collisions are the most common type of work zone crash.
• Respect the flaggers and obey their guidance. Be patient when driving through work sites with flagger control.
• Pay attention to the construction signing. Those signs are carefully selected to give drivers accurate information and important warnings.
• Expect delays and allow extra travel time to travel through work zones.
• Select alternate routes if possible to avoid the work zone completely.
• Be patient and stay calm. Remember that the construction crews are working to make the road better for you!

Visit www.WorkZoneSafety.IN.gov to learn more about Work Zone Safety, Indiana’s Work Zone Safety Law, access to INDOT’s highway work zone awareness video and more.