National Work Zone Awareness Week 2021

National Work Zone Awareness Week 2021 

National Work Zone Awareness Week (NWZAW) takes place this week, from April 26th – April 30th. This week of awareness is held each year to preserve the lives of those who work in these work zones.

The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) aims to remind the state’s motorists this week to proceed with caution when encountering one of the 3,400 active work zones in the state.

Throughout 2020, more than 22,000 traffic crashes happened in work zones; these accidents lead to 186 deaths, with 680 people seriously injured.

TxDOT has identified that the most common causes of accidents in work zones stem from: speeding, driver inattention and unsafe lane changes. Each of these causes are easily preventable and with the help of NWZAW, will hopefully be eliminated.

To continue public outreach and awareness, TxDOT reminds drivers to adhere to the Move Over/Slow Down law. The state law requires vehicles to move over lanes and reduce its speed by at least 20 mph below speed limit when encountering a work zone, TxDOT vehicle, emergency vehicle, etc.

Do your part this year and help ensure the safety of those who work hard to keep our community intact.

Read the original information provided by TxDOT for more information on NWZAW and motor laws pertaining to work zones.