MICHIGAN, USA — Now that spring has arrived, construction season has begun on Michigan roads.
It's a great time to familiarize yourself with the importance of driving safely in work zones.
Accidents and deaths in work zones are preventable and can be avoided by driving safely, and that's what National Work Zone Awareness Week is all about.
The National Work Zone Awareness Week goes from April 11 through April 15 and hopes to help drivers remember the importance of driving safely, especially when workers are present.
Last year in work zones in Michigan, there were 5,047 crashes, 65 serious injuries, 19 fatalities and 3 worker deaths. Those tragedies could have been avoided.
The three workers that were killed in Michigan work zones in 2021 were: Lawrence "Larry" Leonarduzzi from the Iron County Road Commission, Reason Tillman-Morgan from Anlaan Corp., and Shawn Kelley from STARS Ready Labor.
The theme for this year's National Work Zone Awareness Week is "Work Zones are a Sign to Slow Down," which emphasizes the importance of driving safely and workers making safety a priority to help save lives in work zones.
The Ottawa County Road Commission provided some safety tips to the public when driving in work zones.
Work zone safety tips
- Research your route and avoid work zones where possible.
- Pay attention to the road and posted signs.
- Avoid distractions on your phone, eating or drinking.
- Slow down for traffic pattern shifts.
- Watch for workers.
- Move early into open lanes when approaching lane closures.
- Be aware of blind spots and leave extra following distance between vehicles
To kick off the week, the Michigan Department of Transportation hosted an event to talk about all that encompasses National Work Zone Awareness Week.
To learn more about National Work Zone Awareness Week, visit NWZAW.org.
►Make it easy to keep up to date with more stories like this. Download the 13 ON YOUR SIDE app now.
Have a news tip? Email news@13onyourside.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter. Subscribe to our YouTube channel.
