t’s been said there are two seasons in Alaska: winter and construction season. National Work Zone Awareness Week, April 15 through 19, is an early season reminder that, during construction season, motorists need to take special care when going through construction zones to pay attention, slow down, and exercise caution.
“Work Zone Awareness Week is an opportunity for us to emphasize the importance of safe driving practices in and around construction zones,” says Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities Commissioner Ryan Anderson. “Our dedicated crews work tirelessly to improve and maintain Alaska’s transportation infrastructure, and it is imperative that motorists do their part to keep them safe.”
In an effort to reduce fatalities, USDOT implemented a National Roadway Safety Strategy that includes five elements: safer people, safer roads, safer vehicles, safer speeds, and better post-crash care.
The approach acknowledges human mistakes as well as human vulnerability and designs a redundant system to protect everyone.
Work Zone Awareness Week organizers offered a few tips for improving work zone safety:
- Reroute. Avoid traveling through work zones, if possible. Otherwise, allow extra time for possible delays and travel safely.
- Avoid distractions. Workers are focused on their jobs in work zones; be vigilant behind the wheel to safely travel through the work zone by putting down your phone and paying attention while driving.
- Reduce speed. Follow speed limits to make driving through narrow lanes and lane shifts easier and safer for you while keeping workers safe.
- Be aware of workers. The work area is often very close to travel lanes, so please be considerate: Take care and slow down when you see workers.
- Watch for pedestrians and bicyclists. Work zones often restrict where nonmotorized road users can travel. In 2022, 145 persons on foot and bicyclists lost their lives in work zone crashes.
- Give large vehicles space. Narrow lanes, unexpected lane shifts, and longer braking distances are challenges for large vehicles. Allow extra space for them to safely navigate work zones. In 2022, 30 percent of fatal work zone crashes involved commercial motor vehicles, which include large trucks and buses.Take care around large construction vehicles, which may be driving at slower speeds to enter and exit the work area.
- Stay alert. Be prepared for sudden stops. Work zones may cause unexpected slowdowns. In 2022, 21 percent of all fatal work zone crashes involved rear-end collisions.