Key Work Zone Facts
A few Work Zone Facts tell the story…
In 2004, crashes in roadway work zones resulted in over 1,000 deaths and nearly 50,000 injuries to persons of all ages. That’s enough people to fill a stadium!- A teen driver is killed every three days and seven are injured each day in work zone crashes.
- Motor vehicle crashes kill more teens than any other cause. (Source: NHTSA)
- In the 15- to 20-year-old age group, car crashes cause 32% of all deaths.
- A 16-year-old is 20 times more likely to be killed in a crash than an adult, due largely to inexperience. (Source: California Office of Traffic Safety)
- Each year at least 2 million new drivers—mostly teenagers—begin driving.
- For the next decade there will be more teen drivers in both absolute numbers and as a higher proportion of the driving population.
- New drivers encounter the unfamiliar traffic patterns and hazards posed by roadway work zones. The maze of jersey barriers, traffic cones, flaggers, flashing lights, and orange signs is a scenario that often causes confusion and dangerous driving responses.
- Over the next several years, highway construction is estimated to increase by 33 to 65% and the number of roadway work sites will increase proportionally.
- The parallel upswing in both teen drivers and work zones will combine to create an even more dangerous environment where young drivers are placed at a higher risk of death or injury.
Posted: 7/29/2008
Categories: Crash Data | Teenage Drivers | Work Zone Safety | "Turning Point" Campaign
