Work zones often signify areas of improvement and progress but for construction workers, it’s their office and livelihood. Gov. Tony Evers, together with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT), has proclaimed this week (April 21-25) as Work Zone Awareness Week in Wisconsin. For 25 years, National Work Zone Awareness Week has marked the start of construction season across our country, promoting road worker safety and cautious driving in work zones. This year’s national awareness week theme is ‘respect the zone, so we all get home.’
“Over the past six years, we’ve been working hard to fix the darn roads, and I’m proud that since 2019, we’ve fixed more than 8,600 miles of roads and over 2,000 bridges statewide,” said Gov. Evers. “This good work is only possible thanks to the hard work of our roadside workers who put themselves in potentially dangerous situations day and night to improve our communities and make our roads safer. As another construction season starts, we’re encouraging folks to slow down and pay attention on our roads, especially in work zones, to keep folks safe.”
WisDOT is urging motorists to practice safe, responsible driving habits – especially in work zones as the 2025 construction season gets underway. In Wisconsin, work zones include highway construction and rolling maintenance operations as well as emergency response, municipal projects and utility work along local roads. This year alone, WisDOT anticipates more than 400 state highway and bridge improvement projects across Wisconsin.
“This year’s work zone safety theme should resonate with all of us; we all want to get home to our loved ones after a workday,” WisDOT Secretary Kristina Boardman said. “Sadly, 10 people – two construction workers and eight motorists – were killed in Wisconsin work zones last year. They never returned home to their families and it’s an unfortunate reminder that it only takes a momentary distraction to create a deadly situation on the road. We must make smart decisions behind the wheel to keep our highways and work zones safe. Please pay attention, be patient and give space to the workers improving our roads. Your commitment to safe driving can help all of us get home.”
Preliminary data shows more than 2,150 crashes were recorded in Wisconsin work zones in 2024, resulting in 10 deaths and more than 750 injuries.
- From 2020 to 2024, Wisconsin work zones saw more than 10,300 crashes causing 56 deaths and more than 3,600 injuries.
- Speeding, tailgating and distracted driving remain common factors in a majority of crashes.
- Download the 2025 Wisconsin work zone safety fact sheet.
Cell phone use is one of the most common factors in distracted driving crashes. Wisconsin law prohibits texting while driving on any road. State law also prohibits use of a hand-held mobile device in work zones and in areas surrounding emergency response vehicles with flashing lights.
Drivers and passengers make up the vast majority of those injured or killed in a work zone crash, but workers remain at risk as well. Since 2019, there have been seven worker deaths in Wisconsin work zones. An incident from June 2024 involved a 47-year-old worker with Arrow-Crete Construction who was struck and killed while working along Capitol Drive in Pewaukee. The crash killed a driver in another car and seriously injured another construction worker. In November 2024, a tragic crash took the life of a 35-year-old construction operator with Century Traffic, who was working on the I-90 project in Monroe County.
How can people help improve work zone safety?
- Drive safely. Be courteous, avoid distractions and follow posted speed limits.
- Leave the phone alone. Texting while driving is illegal statewide and talking on a hand-held mobile device is illegal in work zones.
- Move over, or slow down, when you see workers and vehicles with flashing lights along the highway. Wisconsin’s Move Over Law applies to maintenance operations as well as emergency response units.
- Show support for work zone safety with the social media hashtags #NWZAW, #WorkZoneSafety, or #Orange4Safety (but please never text and drive).
- Participate in “Go Orange Day” on Wednesday, April 23 by wearing orange in support of work zone safety. (Tag it on social media with #Orange4Safety and #GoOrangeDay)
- Buckle Up, Phone Down. Take the pledge at wisconsindot.gov/BUPDand share your commitment and challenge with others via social media using the hashtag #BuckleUpPhoneDown.
- A nationwide moment of silence is planned for Friday, April 25 for people who lost their lives in a work zone incident.
- Visit WisDOT’s work zone safety webpage for more tips and information.
WisDOT is currently airing two radio public service announcements (15-second and 30-second spots) across the state to emphasize safe driving in work zones, as well as using 511 Wisconsin to “know before you go”.
