Supporting the designation of the week of April 15 through April 19, 2024, as National Work Zone Awareness Week.

Supporting the designation of the week of April 15 through April 19, 2024, as National Work Zone Awareness Week Whereas 956 work zone fatalities occurred in 2021, according to the Federal Highway Administration (referred to in this preamble as FHWA NHTSA DOT Whereas, of the 956 work zone fatalities that occurred in 2021 (1) 778 fatalities were motor vehicle drivers or passengers; (2) 173 fatalities were persons on foot or bicyclists; and (3) 5 fatalities were listed as occupants of a motor vehicle not in transport, unknown occupant type in a motor vehicle in transport, or device and person on personal conveyances; Whereas, according to DOT data from 2021 on work zone fatal traffic crashes by type (1) 206 crashes involved a rear-end collision; (2) 291 involved a commercial motor vehicle; and (3) 278 fatalities occurred where speeding was a factor; Whereas 164 pedestrian fatalities occurred in work zones in 2021, according to DOT data; Whereas, of the 164 pedestrian fatalities that occurred in work zones in 2021 (1) 34 fatalities were a construction, maintenance, utility, or transportation worker; and (2) 130 fatalities were pedestrians other than a construction, maintenance, utility, or transportation worker; Whereas the DOT reported that 42,151 people were injured due to work zone crashes in 2021; Whereas, according to DOT data from 2021, a total of 108 worker occupational fatalities in road construction sites occurred; Whereas the DOT reported that between 2020 and 2021, work zone fatalities increased by 10.8 percent while overall roadway fatalities increased by 10.3 percent; Whereas, according to FHWA and NHTSA, while work zones play a critical role in maintaining and upgrading our roads, work zones can also be a major cause of congestion, delay, and traveler dissatisfaction; Whereas, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, trucks and buses have limited maneuverability and large blind spots that make operating in work zone areas more challenging, leading to a disproportionate number of work zone crashes involving trucks and buses; Whereas enforcement of work zone speed limits is shown to significantly reduce speeding, aggressive driving, fatalities, and injuries; Whereas work zone crashes and fatalities deeply impact family, friends, and communities; Whereas being under the influence of intoxicating substances while being behind the wheel of a motor vehicle increases the likelihood of intrusions into work zones; and Whereas work zone fatalities are at the highest level since 2006: Now, therefore, be it That the Senate (1) supports the designation of the week of April 15 through April 19, 2024, as National Work Zone Awareness Week (2) encourages individuals to educate themselves on the value of training and the importance of best practices with respect to work zone safety; (3) encourages individuals to practice work zone safety by (A) researching their routes ahead of time to avoid work zones when possible; (B) avoiding distractions while driving; (C) obeying road crew flaggers and being aware of and obeying all signs throughout work zones that indicate reduced speeds, lane changes, and other vital information; (D) slowing down when entering a work zone and being aware of road workers; (E) merging into an open lane when instructed to do so when lane closures are present and slowing down and merging over for first responders; (F) maintaining a space cushion when driving behind other vehicles to avoid rear-end crashes; and (G) providing towing and recovery professionals room to facilitate the process of clearing crashes; (4) encourages infrastructure owners and operators to deploy work zone protections and technologies such as the Work Zone Data Exchange to make travel on public roads safer for workers and road users; and (5) supports the goals and ideals of a National Work Zone Awareness Week

Summary: This resolution supports designating the week of April 15-19, 2024, as National Work Zone Awareness Week and encourages individuals to practice work zone safety.