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Ohio Department of Transportation
Motorists twice
as likely as workers to be injured or killed in work zones
ODOT to host National Work Zone Awareness Week kickoff event
COLUMBUS (Monday, April 11, 2016) – Last year was the deadliest year in
over a decade in Ohio’s roadway work zones. With 30 fatalities – nearly
double the number in 2014 – the Ohio Department of Transportation
(ODOT) is warning motorists of work zone dangers, and asking for their
help in reversing the trend.
While motorists are more than twice as likely as workers to be injured
or killed in work zones, it’s the brave men and women on the front
lines who have little more than an orange barrel between them and
speeding cars,” said ODOT Director Jerry Wray. “With a near-record
number of construction projects currently underway all over Ohio, it’s
critical that every driver be alert and slow down as they travel
through work zones.”
On April 12, ODOT will host the kickoff of the National Work Zone
Awareness Week with an event in Perrysburg. The event’s purpose is
simple: to prevent death and injury in roadway work zones. The theme
for this year’s event is “Don’t Bethat Driver!”
“Out on the road, none of us wants to be that driver, who ruins
someone’s commute, day, or life,” said Director Wray. “Instead, each of
us wants to get home safely. In roadway work zones, engineers and
construction workers make safety their top priority every day - for
drivers as well as themselves. However, drivers need to do their part
too.”
The Work Zone Awareness Week kickoff will also honor the memory of
highway workers, whose names appear on the National Work Zone Memorial.
Among additions to the memorial this year are four former Ohioans: Lee
Rizor, Amber Rooks, Shawn Blubaugh and John Fletcher.
Work Zone Awareness Week became a national event in 2000 to increase
public awareness of work zone safety issues. It has grown ever since,
with the majority of state agencies and other organizations sponsoring
high-visibility education and outreach initiatives.
Some facts to consider…
· In 2015, there were
6,035 work zone crashes in Ohio.
· In 2014, 669
fatalities occurred in work zones across the U.S.
· Driving 45 mph
through a two-mile work zone will only add a minute to your travel time.
· Roads can’t last
forever. They require periodic maintenance—and thus work zones. Those
short-term inconveniences mean long-term benefits for moving people and
goods from place to place.
· Over the last five
years, work zone crashes have increased nearly 15 percent.
Motorists can avoid crashes by staying alert and giving driving their
full attention, following all posted signs and obeying flaggers, and
not tailgating or speeding.
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