Work Zone Safety

Work zones are there because workers are improving road conditions and expanding roads. In the work zone, drivers will typically see cones, barrels, barriers, pavement markings and work trucks. Follow the work zone signs and other directions to get safely through.

Give 'em a Brake

The Give ‘em a Brake marketing effort encourages safe driving. The men and women working to improve your highways work just feet from live traffic, from inattentive drivers. These workers could be your family, friends, the moms or dads of your child's friends, the people down the street or the baseball coach.

Just because you do not see the workers immediately after you see the warning sign does not mean they are not out there.

And it’s not just the workers who face work zone dangers. More than 90 percent of all work zone incidents result in driver or passenger injuries. So when you are giving them a brake, you are also giving yourself a brake.
Work zone survival tips

Work zone survival tips

• Slow down, pay attention, and stay calm.
• Eliminate distractions.
• Merge as soon as possible. 
• Try an alternate route.
• Expect delays, plan for them and leave early to reach your destination on time.
• Observe the posted signs until you see the one that says "END ROAD WORK".

Washington Work Zones:

• In the past five years there have been 8,292 collisions in work zones or work zone back ups on state roadways - 1,672 in 2019 alone.
• In 2019 there were 10 work zone crash fatalities on state roadways and 498 work zone crash injuries.
• WSDOT workers killed on the job since 1950: 60
• The three major reasons for work zone crashes: distracted drivers, following too closely and speeding.

So slow down, pay attention, help protect the worker and yourself. Give ‘em a Brake.