National Work Zone Awareness Week Highlights Dangers for Roadside Workers
National Work Zone Awareness Week has commenced, focusing on the risks faced by highway workers and the importance of driver attentiveness in construction zones. The event, running from April 20 to April 24, emphasizes the theme 'Safe Actions Save Lives.' According to workzonesafety.org, 2023 saw 899 fatalities in work zones, including 82 highway workers. AAA is collaborating with the American Traffic Safety Services Association to promote highway safety. Research by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety indicates that 42% of drivers underestimate the danger their driving poses to roadside workers, who often have only three feet of space separating them from moving vehicles. AAA advises drivers to remain alert, avoid distractions, and slow down when approaching emergency or disabled vehicles on the roadside.