Spring is here and that means roadway work zones have sprung up across the landscape as ubiquitously as daffodils.
As drivers take to the roads for vacations, errands and everyday commuting, it’s all the more important now to focus on their actions behind the wheel. That’s the point of
National Work Zone Awareness Week (NWZAW) – to remind drivers to watch for work zones to protect roadway workers as well as their lives and those of their passengers.
NWZAW is April 21-25 this year with the theme of “Respect the Zone – So We All Get Home.”
“It’s important to grasp the meaning of this year’s theme,” said ATSSA President & CEO Stacy Tetschner. “It reflects the sad reality that the majority of people killed in work zone crashes are drivers and their passengers. That’s why it’s critical to put away all distractions, slow down and stay alert when approaching and passing through a roadway work zone. We want everyone on the roadways to get home safely.”
Statistics from the
National Work Zone Safety Information Clearinghouse show the vast majority of people killed in work zones are motorists, passengers and pedestrians. The most recent statistics show there were 821 fatal crashes in work zones resulting in 891 deaths in 2022. In 2022, 94 roadway workers suffered fatal injuries at their work site from all causes, according to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA).
This year’s National Kickoff Event is scheduled for Tuesday, April 22 and is hosted by the North Carolina Department of Transportation (
NCDOT). It will be held at 10 a.m. EDT at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds, 1025 Blue Ridge Road in Raleigh. The event is open to the public and will be livestreamed. A link will be available that morning at
NWZAW.org.
NWZAW got its start in 1997 when a group of VDOT employees in southwestern Virginia wanted to dedicate a week to raise awareness of work zone safety among all district employees ahead of the busy roadway work season.
The next year, VDOT presented the idea for a national awareness campaign to the American Traffic Safety Services Association (
ATSSA), which, in turn, approached the Federal Highway Administration (
FHWA) and the American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials (
AASHTO). The groups finalized plans and launched the first national kickoff event in 2000.
NWZAW now includes a theme for each day.
- Zone Safety Training Day in which companies are encouraged to pause during the workday for safety demonstrations, discussions about safety policies and other prevention steps to protect people in work zones.
- April 22 – National Kickoff Event as described above. In addition, private companies and departments of transportation across the country organize events in their locations.
- April 23 – Go Orange Day when everyone is encouraged to wear orange to show support for work zone safety and the families of victims who have lost their lives in work zones. Photos can be posted on social media with #NWZAW and #Orange4Safety.
- April 24 – Social media storm in which organizations, companies, agencies and individuals are encouraged to share messages and use hashtags #NWZAW and #WorkZoneSafety throughout social media between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. EDT.
- April 25 – Moment of Silence during which everyone is encouraged to pause to remember the men, women and children who have lost their lives in work zone incidents.
For additional information about NWZAW and its history, check
NWZAW.org and the latest
FHWA fact sheet.