Work Zone Safety

National Work Zone Awareness Week 

Employees with the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) and the transportation construction industry participate in National Work Zone Awareness Week, held each year in early April.

In 2009, it’s scheduled for April 6-10.

This year marks the tenth annual National Work Zone Awareness Week. This year’s theme is “Drive To Survive, Our Future Is Riding On It.”  News release >

In Virginia, seven people died in work zone crashes on state-maintained roadways in 2008.

Nationally, more than 40,000 people are injured each year as a result of motor vehicle crashes in work zones.

Drivers are encouraged to follow these simple rules when driving through a work zone:

• Slow down
  
 
• Stay alert for changing conditions



• Avoid distractions, such as text messaging or talking on the phone

The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) and the Virginia Transportation Construction Alliance (VTCA) are reaching out to drivers ages 16-30 because about a third of these drivers are involved in work-zone crashes.

By providing messages and materials to area colleges and universities, VDOT and VTCA hope to remind students of the challenges of driving in work zones and encourage safe driving habits. 
 
This is also the five-year anniversary of the dedication of the VDOT Worker’s Memorial, a monument on Interstate 64 near Afton Mountain that was built entirely with contributions from agency employees and citizens.

The memorial honors state highway transportation workers who died performing their jobs.

The site provides a place where family members, friends, and colleagues can reflect on their loss and where the traveling public can become more aware of sacrifices made by state highway transportation workers.

Stories From Work Zones

Click on the videos to play. Playlist >>

Other video and audio:

• School program:
  Video (WMV, :40, 1 MB), audio (MP3, :40, 293 KB), transcript (PDF, 89 KB)
  
  
• Driving in work zones:
  Video (WMV, 1:35, 3 MB), audio (MP3, 1:35, 1.5 MB), transcript (PDF, 88 KB)
  
  
• Work zone offenses:
  Video (WMV, :55, 1.6 MB), audio (MP3, :55, 825 KB), transcript (PDF, 86 KB)
  
  
• Highway worker dodges traffic:
  Video (WMV, :51, 1.5 MB), transcript (PDF, 93 KB)
  
  
  (Download the free Windows Media player here.)

Media

The "Stay in the Picture" Newsroom has links to statistics, press releases and downloadable public service announcements.

For dramatic footage of a VDOT employee’s narrow escape from injury or death in a work zone, watch this video (WMV, :51, 1.5MB), transcript (PDF, 93 KB)

For Kids and Teens

Staying Safe: Exploring Virginia's Roadways Geared for 10 to 12-year-olds, this publication is designed to help pre-teens be responsible and knowledgeable road users by teaching them about Virginia's roadways including work zones. To order, send an e-mail to Joan.Morris@vdot.virginia.gov or call (703) 383-2465.

Adventures in Driving: Survive the Ride (PDF 1.7 MB) is designed to help teenagers make the transition from passengers to safe drivers.The guide is aimed at reducing the high crash and fatality rate in this age group. See page 7 for how to travel through a work zone safely.

Video: "A Sudden Change in Plans" (7:40, WMV, 6.5 MB), transcript (PDF, 109 KB)

The Stay in the Picture Classroom has a poster you can download, and a Teacher's Guide (PDF, 546 KB) for resources, information and activities for work zone awareness. Download a Stay in the Picture (PDF 1.65 MB) brochure.