The Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) and the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) kicked off the 2025 National Work Zone Awareness Week campaign Monday with a press conference in Mobile.
Leaders from ALDOT, AGC, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA), and the Alabama Road Builders Association (ARBA) came together to promote driver safety in work zones and share Alabama’s 2024 work zone crash statistics.
“Work zones are where we’re building and repairing the roads everyone depends on,” said Matt Ericksen, ALDOT Southwest Region engineer. “We need drivers to slow down, stay alert and keep our crews — and themselves — safe.”
Stacey Glass, ALDOT Construction Engineer, reminded drivers just how exposed workers are.
“Our crews are sometimes just feet from traffic moving at highway speeds,” said Glass. “There’s often only a cone or a barrel between them and a vehicle. We need drivers to respect the zone and help make sure everyone gets home safely.”
Enforcement plays a key role in preventing crashes. ALEA Senior Trooper Joshua Thompson said officers are on high alert in construction areas.
“We see too many crashes caused by speeding and distractions,” said Thompson. “We’ll be out there enforcing the law and encouraging drivers to be more careful. One careless decision can change lives.”
The campaign also follows recent Alabama legislation that increases fines for speeding in work zones — a move strongly supported by ARBA.
“Raising the penalties sends a clear message: slow down and take work zones seriously,” said Skip Powe, ARBA Executive Director. “These are real people, working hard to improve our roads. Safety has to come first.”
National Work Zone Awareness Week is held each spring to remind drivers that safe driving saves lives.
This year’s theme: “Respect the zone, so we all get home.”
Learn more at NWZAW.org.
