Development of a Highway Work Zone Safety & Awareness Program for New Drivers

A project was undertaken under the sponsorship of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) that was designed to develop an awareness campaign and training material for highway work zone safety and awareness specifically aimed at new drivers. New drivers lack sufficient driving experience and often behave in ways that put them at significantly higher risk on the road than the rest of the driving population. Work zone traffic controls often expose them to unexpected and unusual situations on the road. The intent of the campaign and related materials is to increase awareness of the hazards in work zones and offer tips for safe driving in them. The materials take a variety of forms, but are geared to capturing and keeping teens attention with media familiar to them. This paper provides a description of the some of the characteristics of teen drivers identified and presents the features of an interactive training tool, a website, and other teen-oriented materials developed in this project. Evaluations are underway to determine the perceived effectiveness of the campaign and its materials. It is believed, that some of the approaches used in the effort and the messages have a relevance to teen drivers in other parts of the world.