Research Improves Highway Work Zone “Sights”

Texas leads the nation in the number of fatalities and injuries in highway construction work zones. However, the construction sites themselves aren’t necessarily the cause. In Texas, contributing factors include a longer construction season and more highways under construction at any given time. Also, in a majority of cases, driver inattention and carelessness within construction sites contribute significantly to safety problems. Visibility and a driver’s ability to easily detect upcoming work zones are critical safety issues. The sooner drivers become aware of highway construction sites, the sooner they can maneuver safely through them. Research sponsored by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) and conducted by the Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) is revealing helpful techniques that improve safety for workers and increase visibility of work zones for motorists.