TIFTON, GA. – The Georgia Department of Transportation’s southwest area will observe Work Zone Safety Week April 7-11 with a display outside the Tifton district office.
The display will include 57 cones, representing GDOT employees who have died in work zone accidents over the past four decades. A permanent reminder of the southwest area employees killed on the job is located at the Interstate 75 southbound rest area in Cook County between exits 45 and 49. A boulder bears a plaque with the names of the 14 employees who died on the job, many of them in work zone-related accidents, from 1969 to 2005.
GDOT has not had an employee work zone fatality this year.
Work Zone Safety Week is a national observance that began in 1999. This year’s theme is “Work Zone Speeding: A Costly Mistake.” Speeding is a major contributing factor of work zone crashes. The Federal Highway Administration states that speeding was involved in more than one-third of the fatal crashes that occurred in construction/maintenance zones in 2011.
By driving safely in work zones, motorists can help ensure everyone gets home safely:
- Slow down. Speeding is the most common factor in a work zone safety accident.
- Pace yourself. Don’t tailgate other motorists or construction vehicles.
- Read all signs. Signs are in place to assist in safely directing motorists through the work zone.
- Obey road crew flaggers. These workers are equivalent to traffic signals.
- Stay alert. Minimize distractions and give your full attention to the road.
- Expect the unexpected. Lane shifts, reduced speeds and work crews are all possibilities within a work zone.
For more information, please visit www.dot.ga.gov/Projects/
Source: GDOT
