April 11 kicks off Work Zone Awareness Week in Florida which asks drivers to make sure they continue to pay attention in construction zones and to Road Rangers.
According to 2015-2019 statewide crash data, Florida experienced more than 50,000 work zone-related crashes, including more than 380 fatalities and more than 2,400 severe injuries.
"For myself, I would say just whenever you're driving through a job site, just make sure that you're driving through there as if one of your family members was working there because for a lot of us, it is a family member," said Alejandro Pina, a Project Administrator with FDOT. "So just make sure that you're safe, that you again are aware of your surroundings, and that you avoid any distractions and that you slow down just make sure that you drive as safely as you can and then hopefully, you keep everyone safe. Again, safety is everyone's job. So the more people that we have helping out the better it's going to be for everyone."
In Florida, state law prohibits the use of handheld devices when driving through a construction zone. You can face a fine for using your phone.
"When you're driving through a construction job site, the first thing is to be aware. So make sure that you're aware of your surroundings that you are aware of the workers and the equipment. Also, slow down. So our main thing is, make sure that you slow down that you're not driving recklessly that you're not switching lanes," explained Pina. "Lastly, make sure that you avoid any distractions. So you're not using your phone, you're not talking or you know, any text messages or social media posts that you have, they can wait. Just make sure that you're aware when you're driving through the worksite."
You can read more about work zone safety from FDOT by clicking here.
