Fully Aware: Work-Zone Safety Message Is Starting to Saturate the U.S.

The idea of “Work Zone Awareness Week,” was first put forward in 1997 by an assistant resident engineer in the Virginia Department of Transportation’ s Bristol. The message was then taken nationally to the American Traffic Safety Services Association. Since then the effort to make the public aware of the dangers inherent in work zone areas has spread around the country. In 2004, 1,068 people were killed in work zones; four out of five victims were not workers. The article describes new safety devices, signage and garments developed to help save lives, as well as efforts by individual DOTs around the country. It also describes efforts by the American Traffic Safety Services (ATSS) Foundation to improve work zone safety awareness.