850 people were killed in work zone crashes in the U.S. in 2024

Farmington, CT – U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Administrator Sean McMaster kicked off National Work Zone Awareness Week (NWZAW) yesterday in Connecticut. The Administrator discussed the importance of drivers staying alert and being cautious when traveling through construction zones.

FHWA Administrator McMaster also announced that:

1. FHWA is seeking design concepts for a new Fallen Highway Workers National Memorial.
2. FHWA is investing $500,000 in a brand-new training program to manage and design advanced work zones for up to 110 nationwide organizations, including state Departments of Transportation.

“Work zone safety is every driver’s responsibility,” said FHWA Administrator Sean McMaster. “Under Secretary Duffy, FHWA is unleashing innovation to keep first responders and construction crews safe as they work to upgrade America’s highways and bridges. Drivers who stay alert and slow down in construction areas help these men and women return home to their families at the end of the day.”

In 2024, about 850 people were killed in work zone crashes in America, of which nearly 20% were pedestrians, construction, maintenance or utility workers, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

FHWA McMaster was joined by Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont, Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto, state and federal transportation leaders, and industry stakeholders in Farmington.

Additional Information:

National Work Zone Awareness Week occurs each spring to draw national attention to work zone safety and encourage safe driving behavior. FHWA and its NWZAW partners are encouraging the public to wear orange on Wednesday, April 22, for this year’s national “Go Orange” Day.

FHWA is encouraging drivers to do their part to help reduce the number of fatalities by taking the following actions to improve work zone safety so that everyone can get home safely:

• Avoid distractions by putting down the phone and focusing on driving safely.
• Obey posted speed limits through work zones.
• Be aware of workers who are in construction areas close to travel lanes.
• Watch for pedestrians and bicyclists.
• Give commercial motor vehicles extra space in work zones because narrowed lanes, unexpected lane shifts and longer braking distances are challenges for large vehicles.
• Find another route, where possible, to avoid work zones.
• Follow detours and pay attention to signs displaying active work zones.

FHWA’s Work Zone Safety Grant Program has been used to train more than 130,000 field workers, and state, local and tribal personnel through 5,100 courses. Earlier this year, FHWA announced the eighth round of the Every Day Counts program, which supports rapid deployment of proven innovative technologies. The Advancing Nighttime Work Zone Safety initiative helps agencies improve safety, efficiency and predictability in nighttime roadwork zones. The Connected Corridors initiative will share real-time data to provide clearer views of highway conditions, and work-zone data to improve visibility for road workers and drivers.

Data on work zone fatalities, including state-level data, is available through the National Work Zone Safety Information Clearinghouse.

For more info, visit National Work Zone Awareness Week and follow @USDOTFHWA on X.

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