Across the country this week, state departments of transportation put the finishing touches on National Work Zone Awareness Week or NWZAW efforts, with “Safe Actions Save Lives” the theme for this year’s campaign.
[Above photo by the Maine DOT]
Founded by the American Traffic Safety Services Association, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, and the Federal Highway Administration, NWZAW is a safety campaign observed across the country each spring, traditionally at the start of construction season, to encourage safe driving through highway work zones. This year’s campaign will be held April 20-24.
NWZAW has been observed for more than 20 years and was launched as a public awareness campaign to help everyone understand they play a key role in keeping motorists and roadway workers safe.
On April 16, the Maine Department of Transportation – alongside the Maine Turnpike Authority, Maine Department of Public Safety, Maine State Police, Maine Bureau of Highway Safety, and the Associated General Contractors of Maine – hosted a press conference at the John E. Dority Safety Training Center to update the public on work zone safety awareness efforts.
Governor Janet Mills (D) signed LD 669 into law at the event – legislation extending line-of-duty death benefits to Maine DOT employees working in roadway environments. The law is retroactive and will benefit the families of Maine DOT employees Jimmy Brown and Dwayne Campbell who died while working in Waterville in early 2026.
“Now Maine will rightly recognize the work these public servants perform – on active roadways, with unpredictable conditions, and little room for error – and ensure that, should the unthinkable happen on the job, their families are provided for,” the governor said in a statement.
“Let’s all give road crews as much space as possible to work so they can go home safely to their families every night,” she noted.
“Maine DOT crews and contractors are out there improving our roads every day,” added Dale Doughty, Maine DOT commissioner. “We need everyone to remember that these workers have families depending on them to come home safely. Slowing down, obeying signage, and staying alert is how we save lives. Everyone shares responsibility in creating a safe driving environment.”
Meanwhile, the Arkansas Department of Transportation kicked off its NWZAW efforts with an event at its Fallen Worker Memorial on the grounds of ARDOT Central Office in Little Rock.
“Between ARDOT’s ‘Slow Down, Phone Down’ campaign, speed enforcement cameras, handheld device detection cameras in work zones, and a number of other safety initiatives, we are seeing a reduction in the number of crashes, injuries, and fatalities in Arkansas work zones,” said Jared Wiley, ARDOT’s director, in a statement. “However, our work is never done. Our mission will always be to work toward zero deaths.”
The Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency also hosted a pre-NWAZW event as well.
In 2025, there were 2,543 work zone crashes in Alabama, resulting in 11 fatalities and 709 injuries. The number of crashes increased by 500 from the previous year, while the number of fatalities decreased from 15 in 2024.
“The number of crash fatalities in work zones in Alabama continues to decrease year after year ,” said Dalton Middleton ALDOT’s Drive Safe Alabama coordinator, in a statement. “Events like National Work Zone Awareness Week give us opportunities to bring good information to drivers and roadside workers on how to stay safe in work zones.”
Finally, the Oklahoma Department of Transportation and the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority (OTA) joined forces earlier this month sponsor several NWZAW events.
As part of their joint campaign, Oklahoma DOT and OTA will unveil a short series of new public service announcements highlighting “A Day in the Life” of workers behind the orange cones and the importance of protecting workers and drivers in work zones. With more than 130 active work zones expected across the state this summer, Oklahoma transportation officials are urging motorists to share responsibility for keeping roads safe.
“Work zones are essential to maintaining and improving Oklahoma’s transportation system, but they also require extra caution from drivers,” said TJ Dill, Oklahoma DOT chief engineer, in a statement. “By putting away distractions, slowing down and staying focused behind the wheel, every driver can help protect the men and women working on our roads and ensure everyone makes it home safely.”
He added that 74 Oklahoma DOT and OTA employees have lost their lives in the line of duty and hundreds of crashes occur in work zones each year, many caused by inattentive driving, speeding through construction areas and following too closely.
Meanwhile, the Michigan Department of Transportation is expecting to help host a gathering of safety experts to Dow Diamond in Midland on April 20 to discuss new innovations, challenges, best practices and solutions for work zone safety. The agency said more than 1,000 people were injured and 25 lost their lives in work zone crashes across Michigan in 2025.
“Fixing the roads benefits everyone, and we must all sustain focus and work together to create a safe environment on our roadways and work zones,” said Governor Gretchen Whitmer (D) in a statement. “The number one safety feature in every vehicle is always the driver. Being vigilant and cautious behind the wheel will save lives.”
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