Message Monday - Work zones = no phone zones
Today marks the beginning of the 2021 National Work Zone Awareness Week. If you’ve driven anywhere in Iowa in the last few weeks, you’ve likely noticed highway work zones popping up all over. These work zones can be temporary, like the ones that are set up to patch potholes, or longer-term for things like replacing a bridge. But whatever the work zone might look like, there’s very little room for error on the part of passing motorists.
Nationally and in Iowa, rear-end crashes are the most common type of work zone incident. These types of crashes happen most often when a driver isn’t paying attention or is going too fast and doesn’t realize traffic ahead has slowed down.
In Iowa, we’re devoting this week to the memories of two of our employees who were killed in work zones in 2020.
Lynn Wm. Roder – On Tuesday, July 21, 2020, Lynn, a 14+-year employee from our Ashton garage, was directing traffic in a construction zone on U.S. 18 near Boyden when he was struck and killed. He left behind a wife, two children and their spouses, two grandchildren and many family and friends.
Jeff Arbogast – On Monday, Aug. 10, 2020, Jeff, a 20-year employee from our Mount Pleasant garage, was in an Iowa DOT vehicle working on U.S. 218 near Olds. His vehicle was struck by a large truck and he was killed. He left behind a wife, three children, two grandchildren and many family and friends.
Drive safe. Work safe. Safe lives. Is the theme of the 2021 National Work Zone Awareness Week - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgZBM01LfoQ
So far in 2021, there have been 65 deaths in traffic crashes. That is an increase of five since last Monday. To see statistics published daily by the Office of Driver Services, go to the daily fatality report at https://www.iowadot.gov/mvd/stats/daily.pdf
Be safe out there Iowa DOT staff.
Posted by: Mark Bortle | 04/26/2021 at 07:17 AM