RICHMOND – While many Virginians are enjoying a good night’s sleep, Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) crews and contractors are often out on the roadways working the graveyard shift. “Working at the Speed of Night” is the theme for this year’s national Work Zone Awareness Week, which VDOT will recognize April 3-9.

Survey results show that citizens expect transportation agencies to find ways to handle construction and maintenance work with minimal interference with their daily commute. VDOT and other state agencies are responding by deferring some road work activities to off-peak, nighttime hours to avoid congestion and mitigate frustration motorists feel from traffic delays.

Nighttime road work has its challenges, however. Poor visibility, inadequate lighting, worker fatigue and the driver’s condition may create dangerous situations.

“Work Zone Awareness Week is an important week for VDOT to recognize and draw public attention to critical safety issues that affect our road crews and contractors as well as millions of motorists,” said VDOT Acting Commissioner Gregory A. Whirley. “This year we are focusing motorists’ attention in particular to the challenges of driving through work zones at night. VDOT, our contractors and State Police make work zones as safe as possible, but it is up to all of us who drive on Virginia’s roadways to be cautious and pay attention to the warning signs.”

Fourteen people died and 1,214 others were injured in Virginia’s work zones in 2004, according to the latest available statistics. While highway construction is one of the most dangerous professions in America, four of every five persons killed in work zones are motorists.

VDOT urges motorists to drive safely through highway work zones by following these tips:

Expect the unexpected – a work zone can change overnight

Stay alert - give your full attention to the roadway and those traveling around you

Minimize distractions – avoid changing radio stations or talking on the cell phone

Obey posted speed limits – speeding in a work zone could cost you $500

Don’t follow closely – leave plenty of space between you and the vehicle ahead and avoid changing lanes
Watch for flaggers – follow their directions
Be patient – highway workers are improving the roads for your benefit too.

Work Zone Awareness Outreach:

National event - VDOT and Virginia State Police will participate in a national event on April 4 at 7:35 p.m. at a work zone in Washington, D.C. For details, go to http://www.atssa.com/page.ww?section=Meetings+%26+Events&name=National+Work+Zone+Awareness+Week .

Teen outreach - Work zone safety awareness is a year-round effort for VDOT employees and the Virginia Transportation Construction Alliance (VTCA) members. They take their safety message to teen drivers who are involved in the highest number of traffic accidents and fatalities than any other age group. Last year, more than 25,000 students across the state learned about work zone safety. VDOT and the VTCA expect to reach 30,000 teens this year.

VDOT Workers’ Memorial - The huge granite memorial in the second scenic overlook on I-64 east of Afton Mountain is a striking reminder of work zone dangers. The memorial bears the names of 131 state highway transportation workers who have died of job-related causes since the 1930s. Many of the deaths occurred in work zones. The first of what is hoped to become an annual “remembrance” ceremony at the Memorial is scheduled for 2 p.m. April 4.

For more information on Work Zone Awareness, go to: /images/NWZAWPoster_LowRes.jpg

Page last modified: April 19, 2007