TxDOT ‘WORK ZONE SAFETY AWARENESS’ THIS WEEK

  

Today kicks off Work Zone Safety Awareness week in Texas.

The Texas Department of Transportation is reminding the public to always be safe and drive smart when going through a work zone.

According to TxDOT, there are approximately 3,000 work zones on Texas roadways at any given time, and the likelihood of a crash can increase significantly in a work zone.

The department says while posted signs are always out to warn drivers of an upcoming work zone, some drivers don't slow down and others don't pay attention to the work zone at all.

According to TxDOT, in 2018, there were 25,162 crashes in work zones, resulting in 161 fatalities and another 684 serious injuries.  The leading causes of these crashes statewide are due to driver attention and speeding.

TxDOT officials urge the public, that while you're driving through a work zone: pay attention, don't tailgate, minimize distraction and obey road signs.