PHOENIX — More than half of highway workers polled reported that vehicles had crashed into their construction work zones in the past year, according to results of a new national highway work zone study by the Associated General Contractors (AGC) of America and HCSS released Thursday.
“Elected and appointed officials are not doing enough to protect workers and motorists in highway work zones,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist and author of the annual survey. “Our transportation networks may be invaluable, but the lives of workers and motorists are priceless.”
According to the survey results, motorists are in even greater danger from highway work zone crashes than construction workers, Simonson noted. Twenty-eight percent of contractors participating in the survey experienced crashes that resulted in injury to construction workers. But more than twice as many firms—59 percent—reported experiencing a crash in which drivers or passengers were injured.
Arizona's most recent deadly work zone crash occurred less than two weeks ago. According to DPS, a road worker was killed when a semi-truck crashed into that worker's lift vehicle in the work zone on the I-10 near Guadalupe Road.
In 2020, an Arizona Department of Transportation worker was killed while setting up signs to warn drivers of pavement repairs along the I-10. A vehicle hit and killed him near Casa Blanca Road in Bapchule.
According to the AGC survey results, 97 percent of highway contractors who responded said they believe highway work zones are either as or more dangerous than they were a year ago.
Eighty-five percent said they think the reason for the increased risk is phone use among drivers.
"When we talk about distracted driving, it's digitally drunk driving," said Work Zone Safe founder and president Tom Robins. "The impact on lives and safety is the exact same. The behavior that shows up is the exact same."
The survey also asked highway contractors what they believe could help improve highway work zone safety:
- 79 percent said they feel a greater police presence at work zone construction sites would help reduce the number of crashes at them.
- 53 percent believe automatic ticketing for speed violations would help.
- 46 percent think adding highway work zone cameras would help.
- 65 percent believe stricter enforcement of existing laws regarding work zone moving violations would help.
"Too many work zones have one officer present, which makes it difficult to enforce the speeding laws. Let's make two mandatory, where one [officer] has the ability to track down repeat violators," said HCSS president and CEO Steve McGough. "Make speed enforcement cameras mandatory. Stop going state by state. Make it federal law with a bite."
The Arizona Department of Transportation would not comment on the specific suggested improvements listed above in relation to Arizona highways but said the most important things drivers can do to make work zones safer are to pay attention and slow down.
Data below from the department shows Arizona work zone crash statistics since 2016.
There's also a push for more education for new drivers.
An online national work zone safety course gives teen drivers ages 15-19 the chance to win a $500 scholarship.