To kick off National Work Zone Awareness Week, which runs April 8–12, the Texas Department of Transportation will be joined by law enforcement and safety advocates to ask motorists to stay alert and slow down when driving through work zones on Texas roadways.
In 2018, Texas saw 25,162 work zone traffic crashes, resulting in 161 fatalities and 684 serious injuries. Of those fatalities, 84 percent were motorists and/or their passengers. In the Austin area last year, there were 1,588 crashes in work zones, resulting in 9 fatalities and 53 serious injuries.
As part of its ongoing work zone awareness efforts, TxDOT also reminds drivers of the Move Over/Slow Down law, which requires drivers to move over a lane or reduce their speed to 20 mph below the posted limit when they see flashing blue or amber lights on a TxDOT vehicle, emergency vehicle or tow truck stopped on the roadside. Not doing so can result in a fine of up to $2,000.
