Give 'em a brake

National Work Zone Awareness Week (April 17-21, 2023) emphasizes the importance of slowing down, paying attention and practicing caution in work zones. 

Employees in work zones are spouses, parents, children, siblings and friends – and they all deserve to go home safe at the end of their shift. Crews work while traffic speeds by just feet or inches away. They work to keep all travelers safe, either through repairs or new construction. Far too many have had close calls or injuries. Others have been killed on the job. They deserve our respect and extra attention. We work hard to keep our workers safe with equipment and training. We also need the traveling public’s help to keep everyone on the road safe.

Work Zone Safety Infographic (PDF 718KB)

Work Zone Collision Fact Sheet (PDF 3MB)

National Work Zone Awareness Week

Support the people working to improve your highways, roadways and streets by observing National Work Zone Awareness Week. This year's worker memorial will take place at 10 a.m. Tuesday, April 4, 2023 at the WSDOT Headquarters in Olympia.

WSDOT promotes work zone safety year 'round, but especially during the month of April and ahead of a busy summer construction season.

Everyone on the road could be your family, friends or the neighbor down the street. Help us honor their work. Encourage everyone to pay attention in work zones and help save lives.

Drivers generally don’t think they are at risk in work zones. They're wrong.

  • Washington averages almost 626 highway work zone injuries each year.
  • Almost 95 percent of the people injured or killed in work zone collisions are drivers and their passengers.
  • The top three causes of work zone crashes are following too closely, speeding, and distracted/inattentive driving.

Work zone safety tips

We ask all drivers in work zones to:

  • Slow down – drive the posted speeds, they're there for your safety.
  • Be kind – our workers are out there helping to keep you safe and improve the roadways.
  • Pay attention – both to workers directing you and surrounding traffic; put your phone down when behind the wheel.
  • Stay calm – expect delays, leave early or take an alternate route if possible; no meeting or appointment is worth risking someone's life.

Work zone safety video

More about about roadway safety via this video.

 

Worker memorial

Since 1950, 60 Washington State Department of Transportation employees have lost their lives in work zone-related activities. Each spring, WSDOT holds a Worker’s Memorial to honor those fallen workers and remind everyone about the importance of work zone safety.

Learn more about work zone safety

Slow down – lives are on the line.

In 2022, speeding continued to be a top reason for work zone crashes.

Even one life lost is too many.

Each year about 670 people are killed nationally in highway work zones. In 2022, Washington had six fatal work zone crashes on state roads.

It's in EVERYONE’S best interest.

95% of people hurt in work zones are drivers, their passengers or passing pedestrians, not just our road crews.