David E. Ogle
Virginia Department of Transportation

Published: April 11, 2008

When you’re on the highway, one glance at the kids in the backseat, a grab at the cell phone, or even changing the radio could cost a life - possibly your own.
Every seven hours someone in the United States is killed in a work zone. Last year in Virginia, crashes in state maintained highway work zones killed 11 people. Highway work continues to be one of the most dangerous occupations in America. Every year in the United States, more highway workers are killed than police and firefighters, combined. Workers are put in harm’s way while working on highway projects for the sake of improving travel for the rest of us. It only takes one inattentive driver to change someone’s life forever.

The Virginia Department of Transportation wants to protect you and our highway work crews. This year we will participate in the annual observation of Work Zone Awareness Week in conjunction with National Work Zone Awareness Week, April 7-11. This year’s theme is, “Slow for the Cone Zone.”
Motorists often forget that it is everyone’s job to keep work zones safe. Especially since, motorists are four times more likely to be killed in work zone crashes, many of them 20 to 29 year old males. These three steps can mean the difference between life and death:

– When you see the orange signs, be alert for changing conditions ahead.

– Slow down and expect the unexpected. Pay attention to your surroundings. You may encounter lane shifts, construction vehicles entering and leaving the roadway, or changed speed limits.

– Minimize distractions! Avoid changing radio stations and using mobile phones while driving in a work zone.
We will do our part to keep Virginia moving, but we need you to “Give us a Brake” and go “Slow in the Cone Zone.”

To learn more about how you can keep yourself and highway workers safe in work zones, visit VirginiaDOT.org.