National Work Zone Awareness Week
April 23-27

National Work Zone Awareness week is April 23-27. Considering the amount of road construction taking place all throughout our state, it is important to take some time and review work zone safety issues.
                                   
According to the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) more than 1,000 people die nationally in work zones each year, equaling to be nearly three per day.
 
 In 2006 I voted for Major Moves, which is our state’s 10 year fully funded highway construction plan that puts Indiana on a better path than most states to finance our road construction projects. Major Moves includes 200 new construction and 200 major preservation projects to help make dramatic improvements to Indiana roadways.
If you come upon construction areas, please make sure to be cautious and slow down. According to the work zone statistics on the INDOT website, it takes just one minute more to travel through a two mile work zone at 45 mph rather than 65 mph.
                        
National Work Zone Awareness Week works to emphasize and further the importance of safety on our roadways.

INDOT offers the following suggestions while driving through a work zone:

• Stay alert
• Pay attention
• Merge early
• Slow down
• Don’t tailgate
• Minimize distractions
• Plan ahead

The great concern of lawmakers involving work zone areas is to protect our highway workers from injury and potential fatalities. This is why The Indiana Work Zone Safety Law was recently revised to set steeper penalties for driving infractions within highway work zones.

According to this law, first time citations for speeding in a work zone will result in a minimum fine of $300. The fine will increase to a minimum of $500 for a second offense and $1,000 for a third offense within three years. Motorists who drive recklessly or aggressively through work zone areas can face fines up to $5,000.
 Work Zone Awareness Week should remind us all to be careful and attentive while traveling our roadways. Following a few simple steps could save lives.

For more information on National Work Zone Safety Awareness Week visit: http://www.workzonesafety.org/news_events/awareness_week/2012

For more information on work zone safety provided by the Indiana Department of Transportation visit: http://www.in.gov/indot/2356.htm