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ROCKLAND, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — AAA Northeast released a statement on Thursday, along with the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles and Massachusetts State Police, about the importance of driver safety in honor of National Work Zone Awareness Week.
Specifically, they said, “Work zones are temporary. Actions behind the wheel can last forever.”
They also clarified that although Work Zone Awareness Week only runs through Friday, work zone safety “has no end date," especially with road construction season underway in Massachusetts.
In a press release on Thursday, Senior Manager of Public Affairs for AAA Northeast Christina Hayman advised drivers to “[s]low down and move over for all vehicles on the roadside, curb your speed in work zones and don’t drive distracted.”
In 2023, 10 people in Massachusetts died in crashes related to work zones, said the press release. Nationally, over 890 people were killed in work zone-related crashes in 2022, and speeding was a factor for over a third of those.
“We are all in a hurry, but work zones require extra attention,” said Massachusetts State Police Lt. Sean Reardon. “Slow down and expect the unexpected. No excuses.”
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AAA shared some tips that might help drivers stay safe near work zones. They include leaving earlier to allow extra time for delays, slowing down near work zones, respecting posted speed limits, creating space for larger vehicles to pass through, anticipating sudden lane shifts or stops, and watching for pedestrians and bicyclists because work zones can disrupt their normal infrastructure.
“There is nothing more important than keeping crews in work zones safe and protecting the lives of other road users whether they are in a car, on a bike, walking or traveling by public transportation,” added Registrar Colleen Ogilvie.
April is also Distracted Driving Awareness Month. In Massachusetts, it is illegal to hold or manipulate an electronic device while driving, including when you’re stopped at a red light.
AAA explained that looking down at your phone for five seconds while driving at 55 mph is the same as driving blindfolded across an entire football field.
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