CDOT goes orange for National Work Zone Awareness Week

April 4, 2017 - Statewide Safety - The Colorado Department of Transportation will join transportation and safety departments across the nation by “going orange” on April 5 for Go Orange Day as part of National Work Zone Awareness Week.

 

Each year, before construction season kicks off, National Work Zone Awareness Week is held to bring attention to motorist and worker safety and mobility issues in work zones. Go Orange Day is a way people can easily show support for men and women working to improve highways, roadways and streets.

In conjunction with National Work Zone Awareness Week, CDOT hosts a Remembrance Day in each region to remember those who lost their lives in the line of duty. CDOT has lost a total of 59 lives in the work zone, with the most recent fatality in 2015.

“Our priorities are safety and our people,” said Shailen Bhatt, Executive Director of CDOT. “I ask motorists to please do your part in making sure our men and women can return to their families safely.”

In 2016, there were seven work zone fatalities in Colorado. Nationally, approximately 700 people are killed and more than 35,000 people are injured in work zone crashes each year:

  • Four out of five work zone fatalities are motorists;
  • One work zone fatality occurs nationwide every 15 hours;
  • Nationwide, one work zone injury occurs every 14 minutes;
  • People can help prevent work zone injuries and fatalities by slowing down and paying attention to the road.

“We, as a state, can help prevent deaths and injuries in the work zone by slowing down, putting distractions down and never driving under the influence,” said Bhatt.

CDOT asks the public to join its employees by wearing orange on Wednesday, April 5, to help bring attention to safety in the work zone.