By Caroline Carpenter / ADOT Communications

Following two incidents in the past 10 days in which road workers having been killed on state highways, we're using message boards to remind drivers to pay attention in work zones and heed the “Move Over” law. These types of crashes are avoidable. Motorists should pay extra attention in work zones, avoid distracted driving and move over for vehicles on the side of the road, such as tow trucks and emergency responders, that have flashing lights.

You’ll see the message below on ADOT’s signs this week:

2 ROAD WORKERS
KILLED THIS MONTH
DRIVE ALERT

Slowing down in work zones and staying alert helps highway workers get home safely and can help you as well. According to the Federal Highway Administration, drivers and vehicle passengers account for 82 percent of work zone fatalities.

Collisions are the second-leading cause of law enforcement deaths and firefighter fatalities nationwide.

The “Move Over” law was designed to help protect emergency workers doing their jobs on our roadways. In 2011, this law was expanded to include all vehicles, not just emergency response vehicles. It requires drivers to move one lane over from any vehicle with flashing lights pulled over on the side of the road. If it's not possible to safely move over, drivers should slow down. For more information, visit moveoverAZ.org.

Here are safety tips for driving through work zones:

• Expect the unexpected: Normal speed limits may be reduced, traffic lanes may be restricted and people may be working on or near the road.
• Slow down: Speeding is one of the major causes of crashes in work zones.
• Keep a safe distance: The most common type of accident in a work zone is a rear-end collision. Maintain two car lengths between you and the car in front of you as well as road crews and their equipment.
• Pay attention: The warning signs are there to help you move safely through the work zone. Observe the posted signs.
• Obey road crew flaggers: The flagger knows what is best for moving traffic safely in the work zone. A flagger has the same authority as a regulatory sign. You can be cited for disobeying a flagger's directions.
• Stay alert and minimize distractions: Dedicate your full attention to the roadway and avoid changing radio stations or using cellphones while driving in a work zone.
• Keep up with traffic flow: Motorists can help maintain traffic flow and posted speeds by merging as soon as possible. Do not drive right up to the lane closure and then try to barge in.
• Check road conditions before traveling: Schedule enough time to drive safely and check for traffic information by calling 511 or by logging on to az511.gov.
• Be patient: Remember, crews are working to improve the road for you.

Doug Pacey / ADOT Communications

Across the country, departments of transportation are in the midst of marking – “celebrating” doesn’t feel like the right word – National Work Zone Awareness Week.

The Arizona Department of Transportation is no different. Safety is our top priority – for our workers and the public – and this week gives us the opportunity to feature some tips to make work zones along Arizona’s highways safer for everyone, especially you.

First, we’re incredibly grateful to the work performed by our construction and maintenance crews in the field. These men and women expose themselves to risk every day in an effort to maintain and improve the traveling public’s driving experience. Just check out this close call ADOT’s video team happened to catch on camera:

The video shows that work zones can be a perilous place for workers, but did you know they are far more dangerous for motorists? Nationally, drivers and passengers account for about 80 percent of all work zone-related crash fatalities each year, according to the Federal Highway Administration. In Arizona, there were 1,209 work-zone crashes in 2014 that resulted in 11 deaths – all of whom were a driver or passenger.

Follow these tips when traveling through a work zone, to ensure a safe trip for motorists and a safe day of work for highway maintenance workers.

• Pay attention: Observe and obey posted warning signs, as well as flaggers. You can be cited for disobeying a flagger’s directions.
• Expect the unexpected: Speed limits might be lowered, travel lanes could be narrowed or eliminated and people may be working near the road.
• Slow down: Speeding is one of the leading causes of work zone crashes.
• Merge safely: Do it early instead of racing to the beginning of the work zone and barging into a line of vehicles.
• Don’t tailgate: The most common crash in a work zone is the rear-end collision. Don’t follow too closely and, again, slow your speed.

If you’ve been following along with us, you know that we’ve been covering the Loop 101 widening project since work started last summer.

We’ve given you updates, shared a cool time-lapse video and even told you about that time an ASU class came to visit the site.

One thing we haven’t covered yet is speed. No, we’re not talking about the speed of the project’s progress (we actually have covered that – work currently is on schedule to wrap up late next year). We’re referring to the speed at which motorists are driving through the project’s work zone…

Crews have noted that not all drivers are slowing down to the reduced 55 mph speed limit. ADOT Transportation Engineering Specialist David Locher says the data shows that some vehicles are actually averaging about 70 mph through the area.

Slow down in the work zone!

Crews need space to work, but instead of closing an entire lane through the work zone, ADOT opted to narrow each of the existing lanes to help keep traffic moving during the project.

“A typical lane is 12 feet wide and we’ve narrowed it to 11 feet wide,” Locher explains. “On top of that, we don’t have a shoulder during construction, so even the minor flat tire can become a back-up and there’s little room to maneuver if there is an accident.”

So, what should drivers do?

Department of Public Safety Spokesman Bart Graves reminds drivers that they have to slow down and obey all signs/warning devices in work zones – not only for the well-being of construction crews, but for their own safety.

“It’s really important that the motorists slow down and approach that area carefully” Graves said.

For more information on how to safely maneuver through work zones, please visit our Work Zone Safety page.

For as long as there have been roads, there have been work zones. While those early projects might have looked a little different from what we see today, motorists have been navigating near construction crews and work sites for a very long time.

Taken in June 1980, this photo shows work happening on I-17 near Camp Verde.

We don’t have photos showing construction of the state’s earliest highways, but we do have some work zone shots from the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s.

Seeing that it is National Work Zone Awareness Week, we thought now would be a good time to share.

As you can see, Arizona’s highway system has grown in the past few decades – Interstate 17 certainly looks very different now!

We know that the drivers in the photographs didn’t have the ADOT website to turn to for construction updates. They didn’t have az511.gov or social media either (can you even imagine?). We hope that they knew to slow down, pay attention and expect the unexpected in the work zone – it was important back then and it’s important now.

Construction on I-40 in Holbrook from back in August 1979.

Luckily, today’s drivers have all those resources. Motorists of 2015 can also visit ADOT’s Work-Zone safety page for tips on how to maneuver safely through a work zone.

*********

It’s safe to say things have changed since 1912 when the Arizona Highway Department was first established. But you don’t just have to take our word … we’ve got plenty of pictures to prove it. We combed through our archives and decided to periodically post these photos from the past in a blog series we’re calling, “From the ADOT Archives.”

Building and maintaining the state’s highway system means that ADOT crews frequently need to work pretty close to traffic to get the job done...

That proximity can lead to some big safety risks when motorists choose to drive dangerously, which is why we’re asking drivers to slow down, pay attention and expect the unexpected in the work zone.

Work Zone Awareness

Today marks the start of National Work Zone Awareness Week, an ideal time to review and address any bad driving habits. Driving with caution through a work zone will not only help to protect road crews, but it will also help to ensure your safety.

Did you know that most victims in work-zone crashes are likely to be drivers or their passengers?

Slowing down, obeying signs and warning devices, and preparing for lane restrictions really go a long way to keep everyone safe.

So, here’s what you can do to stay safer in the work zone:

• Expect the unexpected. Normal speed limits may be reduced, traffic lanes may be restricted and people may be working on or near the road.
• Slow down! Speeding is one of the major causes of work-zone crashes.
• Keep a safe distance. The most common type of accident in a work zone is a rear-end collision. Maintain two car lengths between you and the car in front of you as well as road crews and their equipment.
• Pay attention. The warning signs are there to help you move safely through the work zone. Observe the posted signs.
• Obey road crew flaggers. The flagger knows what is best for moving traffic safely in the work zone. A flagger has the same authority as a regulatory sign. You can be cited for disobeying a flagger's directions.
• Stay alert and minimize distractions. Dedicate your full attention to the roadway and avoid changing radio stations or using cell phones while driving in a work zone.
• Keep up with traffic flow. Motorists can help maintain traffic flow and posted speeds by merging as soon as possible. Do not drive right up to the lane closure and then try to barge in.
• Check road conditions before you travel. Schedule enough time to drive safely and check for traffic information by calling 511 or by logging on to az511.gov.
• Be patient and stay calm. Remember, crews are working to improve the road and your commute.

Visit azdot.gov/WorkZone for more information.

Safety is an important topic here on the ADOT Blog. From dust storm info and winter driving tips to seat belt rules and tire pressure guidelines, we try to cover it all...

That’s why you better believe we’re not going to pass up the chance to blog about Work Zone Awareness Week, which gets started today. This is the week that’s observed each year by transportation officials across the country in an effort to increase driver awareness of work zone safety issues.

It’s probably pretty clear why work zone safety is a serious topic at ADOT. Our crews are out in work zones everyday, building and maintaining the state’s highways. Their safety is, of course, a high priority. But, did you know that most of the people killed in highway work zone crashes are drivers and their passengers?

You can see that it’s really important for everyone to make work zone safety a priority.

Drivers play a big role in keeping work zones safe

According to the Federal Highway Administration, most work zone fatalities (about 85-90 percent each year) are motorists and their occupants, and 10-15 percent of fatalities are workers and other non-motorized users such as pedestrians and bicyclists.

“Driver-related factors that affect work zone crashes include speeding, distractions (such as cell phones, texting, and radios), inattentive driving and aggressive driving,” according to the FHWA. “The main type of work zone crash is a rear-end collision, and adequate following distance is important in avoiding such crashes.”

Work Zone Speeding: A Costly Mistake

This year’s theme highlights the fact that speeding is a major factor that contributes to work zone crashes. According to the FHWA, speeding was involved in 36 percent of the fatal crashes that occurred in work zones in 2011.

But, we all know that speed isn’t the only thing you’ve got to pay attention to when you’re driving.

Here’s a good list of driving tips to keep in mind the next time you’re driving through a work zone:

• Slow down. Speeding is among the major causes of work-zone crashes.
• Wear your seatbelt. It is your best defense in a crash.
• Pay attention. Warning signs, directional signs and flaggers are in place to guide you through the work zone safely, so read and obey them. Using a handheld device while driving is never a good idea - especially in work zones. Minimize other distractions that can take your eyes, ears and attention off the road.
• Expect out-of-the-ordinary road conditions. Be ready for lower speed limits, lane restrictions, detours and lots of activity involving workers and equipment next to travel lanes.
• Keep a safe distance between your vehicle and the vehicle in front of you. Rear-end collisions are the most common type of work-zone crashes. Keep a safe distance between your vehicle and construction equipment and crews as well.
• Obey road crew flaggers. Not only does the flagger have information to guide motorists through the work zone safely, but he or she has the same authority as a regulatory sign. Ignore a flagger and you could be cited. Even worse, you could be involved in a serious crash.
• Don’t cut in line ... or try to keep other drivers out. When lanes are narrowed, merge as soon as the signs direct you to do so. Drivers who wait until the last minute to merge (and cut off other drivers) disrupt traffic flow and slow down the commute for everyone. If you’re already in the open travel lane, be considerate and allow other drivers to merge in early.
• Check road conditions and plan accordingly. Schedule enough time to drive safely. By adding a few extra minutes to your commute, you’ll make up for possible work-zone delays. Check for traffic information in advance by calling 511 or by logging on to az511.gov. Never call or log onto the 511 system while driving!
• Be patient and stay calm. Remember: Road crews are working to improve the roadway and your commute.

For more information, visit the FHWA website or check out some of our previous work-zone safety blog posts.