National Work Zone Awareness Week

MoDOT participates each spring in Work Zone Awareness week which starts Monday .

Edited from a press release from MoDOT:

JEFFERSON CITY – Every spring, the Missouri Department of Transportation starts preparing for the summer season of roadwork across the state. Part of that preparation includes the observance of National Work Zone Awareness Week, which is March 23-27.

Motorists are reminded to slow down and pay attention as they drive past work zones. Not all work zones look alike. We remind motorists that work zones can be moving. operations, such as striping, patching or mowing.

The top five contributing circumstances for work zone crashes in 2014 were following too closely, inattention, improper lane use or changing lanes, failed to yield, and driving too fast for conditions — in that order. The average text takes five seconds to read. Traveling at 55 mph, you will travel more than the length of a football field- blindfolded! MoDOT’s slow moving maintenance operations move as slow as 10 mph and if you aren’t paying attention to the road, you will come up on the closed lane very quickly.

Any time highway workers are present on a Missouri roadway – whether it’s a long term lane closure, a moving operation, or shoulder work – your safety and the safety of those workers depends on drivers’ focus and attention. The state Slow Down and Move Over law includes MoDOT vehicles parked with amber/white lights flashing. Motorists are required to slow down and change lanes when approaching MoDOT vehicles or law enforcement and emergency vehicles with lights flashing. The law is simple: If you see flashing lights on the side of the road, move over to give workers and emergency personnel plenty of room to stay safe.

We want you and our workers to make it home safe every day.

By Joe Rios – KTTS NEWS

National Work Zone Awareness Week