“Orange Cones, No Phones”

The work zone safety campaign kicked-off June 9, 2014 in District 6 and District 7 and will continue around the state through the construction season.   Motorists driving across Minnesota are expected to see the “Orange Cones, No Phones” message on billboards and gas pump toppers as a reminder to hang up their phone and pay attention to keep workers–and themselves–safe. Radio ads also will be played throughout the state to reach a larger audience.   The work zone safety campaign is part of the Minnesota Toward Zero Deaths (TZD) effort, a multi-agency partnership that uses education, enforcement, engineering and emergency trauma response to promote safe and smart driving behavior. The Minnesota TZD partners include the departments of Health, Transportation and Public Safety. Since its launch 10 years ago, the TZD effort has helped decrease roadway fatalities by nearly half, from 655 in 2003 to 387 in 2013.