OSHP Encourages Drivers to Acknowledge National Work Zone Awareness Week

MUSKINGUM COUNTY, Ohio- This week is National Work Zone Awareness Week and the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) and the Ohio State Highway Patrol (OSHP) are encouraging drivers to be cautious and pay attention, especially when traveling through work zones.

Whether its roadside workers or drivers, both can become seriously injured in a work zone with one easy distraction. With April being Distracted Driving Awareness month as well, the ODOT and OSHP both know that distracted driving and work zone crashes go hand in hand.

“Somebody who is working alongside the road, their having cars going by them at 44, 55, 60 miles an hour. You know, that’s inherently dangerous for them. If you’re not following the speed limits, if you’re not making sure that you’re making them safe, that’s putting them at risk and it’s a huge detriment to their safety.”

In 2020, despite lower traffic volumes due to the global pandemic, 4,540 work zone crashes occurred in the state of Ohio. Since 2016, there have been 89 fatal crashes in Ohio work zones, including 18 fatalities in 2020. The OSHP developed a Work Zone Dashboard where viewers can see information on crashes and citations as well as the top work zones involving crashes.

“It’s something that we’re very proud of that we want to make sure that people are visiting and looking at, because it does give a view of what’s happening in those work zones and why it’s important to follow those laws in the work zones.”

The OSHP reminds everyone to make drivers look out for work zone workers. To visit the Work Zone Dashboard, visit workzonedashboard.ohio.gov.