Minnesota Department Of Transportation Kicks Off 2013 Road Construction Season With Safety Awareness Campaign

What do you do when you see orange cones on the roadway?  How 'bout orange signs that announce a road construction zone?

The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MNDOT) is using the kick off of road construction season - this week - as the beginning of their Work Zone Safety Campaign.  The campaign is an effort to educate  the public about what they need to know about road construction zones.

"Every year there are either crashes or close-calls in work zones. Motorists should be extra-cautious when they enter a road construction or maintenance work zone. It is a reasonable goal to make sure that the traveling public, contractors and MnDOT employees to go home safely to their families at the end of every day." said Duane Hill, MnDOT District One engineer.

In general, drivers should slow down when they see the orange markings that announce an upcoming road construction zone.  Two of the most common factors in work zone crashes are speeding and inattentive driving.

Here are some tips to help keep everyone safe:

• Work zones are wherever you see workers, flaggers and surveyors in bright yellow-green or orange vests.

• • Work zones also include stopped emergency and highway maintenance vehicles with flashing lights.
• • Work zones are also marked with orange cones or barrels, concrete barriers, traffic control devices or moving vehicles with flashers.
• • Work zones operate day and night, anywhere you travel.
• Pay attention
• • Stay alert, especially at night.
• • Obey posted speed limits. Fines may double for violations in work zones.
• • Expect work zones to constantly change. Day to day, you could experience lane shifts, closures or moving workers and vehicles.
• • Never enter a road blocked with barriers or cones.
• • Don’t make unnecessary lane changes.
• • Stay off cell phones and mobile devices.
• • Be patient. Expect delays, especially during peak travel times.
• • Move over one lane, if possible, or reduce speed for stopped emergency or maintenance vehicles, including ambulance, fire, law enforcement or maintenance and construction vehicles.

For more information, click here.