“Drive safe. Work safe. Save lives.”
That was the message the Illinois Department of Transportation, Illinois State Police, Illinois Tollway, Secretary of State Jesse White, industry partners and frontline construction workers emphasized during National Work Zone Awareness Week from April 26 to 30. Events were held in Chicago, Rockford, East Peoria, Springfield and Carbondale on April 27.
“As we begin Year Three of the governor’s historic Rebuild Illinois capital program, you are going to be seeing and experiencing a lot of work zones, regardless of your mode of transportation. When you see orange, slow down, pay attention and avoid all distractions,” said Acting Illinois Transportation Secretary Omer Osman. “Always remember, the people you pass working on equipment or behind the cones and barricades are someone’s father, mother, son, daughter, friend or neighbor. At the end of the day, they want to get home safely, just like you.”
Each year, more than 6,400 motor vehicle crashes on average occur in Illinois work zones, resulting in more than 1,700 injuries. In 2020, 37 people died in work zones in Illinois, including two workers.
Read more about efforts to protect highway workers.
Visit IDOT’s Work Zone page for more information, including social media graphics you can download and an online quiz to brush up on rules to follow when going through our projects.
