Michael F. Easley
Governor
State of North Carolina
Office of the Governor
Governor's Press Office
State Capitol, Raleigh, NC 27603-8001
(919) 733-5612 - Toll Free 1-800-662-7005
FAX (919) 733-5166
For Release: IMMEDIATE Contact: Seth Effron
Date: April 5, 2006 Phone: 919/733-5612
GOV. EASLEY DECLARES APRIL
AS WORK ZONE SAFETY AWARENESS MONTH
RALEIGH — Maintaining and expanding North Carolina’s highway system often means motorists need to use extra caution when driving through construction areas. This is critical for the protection of drivers as well as the safety of construction workers.
To remind motorists to be alert and obey speed limits, Gov. Mike Easley has proclaimed April as Work Zone Safety Awareness Month. Motorists should slow down and drive safely through North Carolina’s highway construction areas. The theme for this year’s campaign is “Drive Smart. Do Your Part.”
"Statistics show that four out of five work zone fatalities are motorists,” said Easley. “More than half of these crashes are the result of speeding and driver inattention. I urge motorists to help reduce the number of crashes and fatalities by slowing down and paying extra attention while driving through our state’s work zones.”
There are more than 250 major work zones across the state at any given time. Work zones are not limited to interstates. Road construction and maintenance activity often affects U.S. and North Carolina highways along with major secondary roads.
In 2004, about 3,400 people were injured and 50 people were killed in work zone crashes in North Carolina. In an effort to increase work zone safety awareness and education, the N.C. Department of Transportation (NCDOT) is kicking off the observance with a public outreach campaign targeting motorists.
Easley offers the following tips to motorists to “Drive Smart. Do Your Part.”
• Stay alert.
• Obey posted speed limits. Do not speed.
• Minimize distractions.
• Expect the unexpected.
The Work Zone Safety Program seeks to significantly reduce work zone fatalities and injuries in North Carolina. The NCDOT is joining with other state agencies as well as those in the transportation industry to educate current and future motorists about the risks associated with driving through work zones. These educational activities include the distribution of educational video packages to driver education classrooms across the state, the sponsorship of a statewide Work Zone Safety Poster Contest and Calendar as well as appearances by the program mascots Buddy Barrel and Connie Cone at public events.
To learn more about work zone safety in North Carolina, visit the NCDOT Work Zone Safety Program Web site at www.ncdot.org/doh/safety/workzone or call the NCDOT Construction Unit at (919) 733-2210.
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