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Department of Highways, District 6
Transportation Cabinet wants work zones, not death zones - On average, a life is lost every 10 hours in work zone crashes nationwide
COVINGTON, Ky. (April 13, 2010) — A split second of driver distraction can turn a highway work zone into a death zone. On average, a person dies every 10 hours and someone is injured every 13 minutes in a work zone in the United States.
Last year in Kentucky, nine people died and nearly 140 people were injured in highway construction and maintenance work zones. That underscores the importance of the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet’s work zone safety campaign April 12-16. The cabinet is hosting events across the state to highlight the safety message.
The cabinet’s District 6 office held a work zone safety event near the new KY 237 (Pleasant Valley Road) construction project today.
“We take this seriously in all of our work zones, whether its new construction or maintenance projects,” said Rob Hans, chief engineer in Highway District 6, based in Covington.
Sanford Vice, operations manager for state contractor George B. Stone Co., said crews are familiar with the dangers of work zones. In March, an employee of the contractor was struck by a vehicle while in a construction zone. “He has a long recovery, but at least he gets to go home to his family,” Vice said of the injured worker.
“Sadly, people are killed every year in highway work zones, but that fate is not written in stone,” Acting Transportation Secretary Mike Hancock said. “Drivers have the power to turn those statistics around by paying attention to their surroundings and obeying work zone restrictions.”
More than 40,000 people are injured and hundreds are killed yearly in work zones, which besides highway construction and maintenance can involve utility crews, mowing contractors, brush cutters and tree trimmers. Eighty-five percent of those killed are motorists.
The Transportation Cabinet will invest in hundreds of highway projects again this year. Traditionally, the highway construction season kicks off in April. Cabinet engineers and contractors work cooperatively to design projects and work schedules that minimize delays and crashes.
“Work zone safety concerns all of us,” said Chuck Geveden, executive director of the Kentucky Office of Highway Safety. “Every driver has a responsibility in keeping our roadways safe. By working together, we can end the needless loss of life in highway work zones.”
Geveden offered 10 work zone safety tips:
- Expect the unexpected.
- Slow down.
- Don’t tailgate. Keep a safe distance between vehicles.
- Keep a safe distance from workers and equipment.
- Pay attention to signs.
- Obey road crew flaggers.
- Stay alert and minimize distractions.
- Keep up with the traffic flow.
- Schedule enough time and call 511 or go to www.511.ky.gov for Kentucky traffic and travel information.
- Be patient and stay calm.
Kentucky’s work zone safety campaign precedes National Work Zone Safety week, April 19-23.
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