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American Road And Transportation Builders Urge Motorist Caution In Work Zones During July 4th Holiday Weekend

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, July 1, 1999

Contact: 
Matt Jeanneret
202-289-4434
301-897-8011 (weekend)

Washington, D.C. — As Americans hit the roads to celebrate the July 4th holiday weekend, the American Road and Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) is calling on motorists to pay special attention and drive carefully through road construction sites. Vehicle accidents in highway construction zones are a serious public health problem. More than 700 people are killed and 37,000 are injured in accidents at these sites each year.

Last year, Congress authorized over $200 billion in federal highway investment through 2003 to improve road and bridge conditions. That could mean an estimated 66 percent increase in the number of road construction sites nationwide.

To help drivers navigate safely through these sites, ARTBA has the following tips:

  • Look for and pay attention to the orange diamond-shaped warning signs or electronic message boards posted in advance of a road construction project.
  • Obey the posted speed limits in a work zone area. Workers could be present literally just feet away. Many states now double the fines for violations in these sites.
  • Use extra caution when driving through a construction site at night.
  • Be aware that traffic patterns in work zones can change daily.
  • Watch for any detours and/or lane diversions. Lanes may be closed.
  • Prepare for the unexpected...workers or moving construction vehicles entering traffic.
  • Just because workers are not present does not mean it is safe to speed through a work zone. It remains marked and signed for a purpose—to alert you to potential dangers.

 ARTBA and the Federal Highway Administration recently created the National Work Zone Safety Information Clearinghouse to provide information on road construction zones. The facility, which is housed at the Texas Transportation Institute, provides a wealth of information to anyone interested in making road construction zones safer for motorists, pedestrians and highway workers.

Users can reach the Clearinghouse via toll-free phone (1-888-447-5556), on the Internet at http://wzsafety.tamu.edu, fax (409-845-0568), or e-mail (workzone@tamu.edu).

Established in 1902, ARTBA represents the $160 billion U.S. transportation construction industry in the Nation’s Capital.

Categories: Work Zone Safety