City Urges Safe Driving In Work Zones

The City urges residents to focus on safe driving during National Work Zone Awareness Week, April 8 through 12. This year’s theme is “Drive Like You Work Here.”

“Whether you work in an office or on a city street, everyone deserves to get home safely,” said Miki Esposito, Director of Lincoln Transportation and Utilities (LTU). “As we kick off construction season, let’s make an extra effort to give workers more room. Slow down and move over if you can. Thanks for helping us stay safe while we work to deliver services to you.”

A 2017 federal report showed a 2 percent increase in total work zone fatalities and an increase from 688 to 710 total work zone crashes. Speeding was a contributing factor in almost 29 percent of the fatal work zone crashes during that time. These statistics demonstrate the importance of spreading awareness of work zone safety and how to drive safely in work zones.

Work zone safety tips include:

Plan ahead. Expect delays, plan for them, leave early and when you can, avoid work zones altogether by using alternate routes. The City posts street closures atlincoln.ne.gov (keyword: closures) or in the Waze mobile app.
Obey road crews and signs. When approaching a work zone, watch for cones, barrels, signs, large vehicles, or workers in bright-colored vests to warn you and direct you where to go.
Slow down. Watch for and obey speed limit signs through work zones. In Nebraska, fines may double in reduced speed work zones. Keep a safe distance from the vehicle in front of you.
Move over. Move over a lane to give work crews and official vehicles parked on the shoulder extra space to work safely.
Avoid distractions. Keep your eyes on the road. Avoid using your phone or any other electronic devices.
Watch for sudden stops. In 2017, 25 percent of fatal work zone crashes involved rear-end collisions.
Give large vehicles enough room to react. Don’t make sudden lane changes in front of trucks that are trying to slow down. Fifty percent of fatal work zone crashes involve large trucks or buses.

To learn more about safe driving in work zones, visit nwzaw.org. Current information on street closures is available at lincoln.ne.gov (keyword: closure) or through the Waze mobile app.