State and transportation leaders gathered this week at the East Camden Bypass to mark National Work Zone Awareness Week and bring attention to the dangers highway workers face daily. The campaign, which has been observed annually since 1999, serves as a reminder for drivers to slow down and stay alert when approaching construction zones.

Delaware Secretary of Transportation Shanté Hastings was joined by Representative Lyndon Yearick, Delaware State Police Lieutenants India Sturgis and Mark Dawson, and frontline DelDOT workers for the event, where they called on the public to take driver safety more seriously.

“Over the past three years, 65 DelDOT employees have been injured in work zone crashes and of those 65, 13 were seriously injured,” Hastings said. “When you see the signs, when you see the flashing lights, when you see the barrels and cones, slow down, eliminate distractions, stay alert, and be extra cautious. By doing these things, motorists can help reduce work zone crashes on our roadways. Please keep our employees safe so they can go home to their families, too.”

This year’s theme, “Respect the zone, so we all get home,” highlights the shared responsibility between drivers and workers to ensure safety on the road. While construction crews are the most visible at-risk group, statistics show that motorists and passengers make up about 80% of fatalities in work zone crashes.

Nationally, work zone crashes claim an average of one highway worker and seven drivers or passengers every week. Officials cited excessive speed, tailgating, and distracted driving as the most frequent causes of these often-fatal accidents.

At the event, authorities reiterated basic but crucial tips for safe driving through work zones: obey all posted signage, avoid sudden lane changes, leave adequate following distance, and reduce speed, particularly when near toll plazas or active construction areas.

National Work Zone Awareness Week is a partnership effort involving the Federal Highway Administration, the American Traffic Safety Services Association, and the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, along with numerous state and local agencies across the country.

Delaware residents are also encouraged to take part in the Be DelAWARE pledge, a campaign promoting safe driving habits aimed at eliminating roadway fatalities in the state.

Originally reported by Jarek Rutz in Town Square Delaware.