Monday starts the Arkansas Department of Transportation’s (ARDOT) National Work Zone Awareness Week, a national safety campaign observed each spring. The campaign usually begins at the start of construction season and encourages safe driving through highway work zones across the country.
With increasing work zone related traffic crashes occurring across the nation, the Arkansas Legislature recently passed three major pieces of legislation designed to enhance the safety of roadway workers and motorists, reduce work zone related injuries, improve driver awareness and reinforce safe driving behavior.
Some of the laws passed include Act 117 requires Driver’s Instruction Manuals and the Driver’s License Exam to include information about the safe operation of a motor vehicle in a highway work zone and Act 209, which authorizes the use of green lights by roadway construction or maintenance vehicles.
ARDOT Director Jared D. Wiley says “This legislation is about improving safety for road workers and the traveling public. When you encounter a work zone, please slow down, be alert and obey traffic laws. We owe this to the men and women working to improve our roads. They deserve to be protected on the job.
National Work Zone Awareness Week was founded by the American Traffic Safety Services Association, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials and the federal Highway Administration.
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