• March 23rd, 2015

A public service announcement video by AASHTO, for the 2015 National Work Zone Awareness Week campaign, highlights the theme of “Expect the Unexpected”.

This year’s annual observation is March 23-27, and as always is designed to heighten drivers’ awareness of the need to slow down and be especially observant in roadway work zones. There, a lapse in attention can lead to vehicles striking equipment or barriers, and accidents can injure or kill workers who are often just feet away from vehicles traveling in the next lane.

The Federal Highway Administration says 576 people died in work zone crashes in 2010, which equates to one work zone fatality every 15 hours and about 85% of deaths in highway work zone crashes are drivers or passengers in cars, the agency says.

The National Work Zone Awareness Week campaign aims to prevent these fatalities by encouraging safe driving through highway work zones and construction sites.