In the past five years, there have been 54 drivers or passengers killed and close to 6,000 injured in Washington’s work zones. An overwhelming majority – close to 99 percent – of people injured or killed in work zone collisions are drivers and passengers.

Drivers typically don’t think they are at risk in work zones or that their unsafe driving causes most of the crashes. But the collision reports tell a different story. Most deaths and injuries in work zones are caused by rear-end collisions. Many occur before the construction work zone begins, where lanes close and cars merge. Drivers cutting in at the last minute cause sudden stops and inattentive drivers are going too fast and are not ready for traffic to slow or stop in a work zone.

Those numbers are just one reason we place such a high importance on work zone safety. The men and women working to improve your highways each and every day work just feet from live traffic, from these inattentive drivers. And those are only the WSDOT workers. It doesn’t count the hundreds of city, county and private contractors out there. These workers could be your family, friends, the moms or dads of your child’s friends, the people down the street or the baseball coach.

Since 1950, 56 Washington State Department of Transportation employees have lost their lives in work zone-related activities. Show your support for these workers and the millions of others working to build your roads and keep you safe.

WSDOT is joining other states, such as Missouri, to Go Orange! to support these workers. Let’s get the word out about driving safely through work zones.

You are invited to Go Orange! in 2009. Work Zone Safety Awareness Week in Washington will be April 20-24 this year and we hope with your participation we can make this first year something great.

Get involved with this vital educational initiative that will help save lives on Washington’s roads. For more information, call Alice Fiman at (360) 705-7080. You can also to see an ongoing list of current participants, get a list of tips for turning things orange and see efforts of other agencies in past years.

For more information, please visit the WSDOT Safety Website here:  http://wsdot.wa.gov/safety/brake/default.htm

Thanks for reading! 🙂