Work Zone Safety Week declared
The Federal Highway Administration has designated April 19-23 as “Work Zone Safety Awareness Week” throughout the United States.
The Sheboygan County Highway Department, along with the Sheboygan County Sheriff’s Department, supports work zone safety with the hope that drivers will be aware of the danger to highway, law enforcement and emergency workers while in the work zone.
Work zone fatalities have risen dramatically in the last few years. On average in Wisconsin there are more than 1,700 work zone accidents each year, with 12 fatalities.
It is all too common for vehicles to pass highway, law enforcement and emergency workers, while they are performing their jobs, at unreasonable and unsafe speeds.
During “Work Zone Safety Awareness Week,” the Sheboygan County Sheriff’s Department will be increasing enforcement in work zones throughout the county. This increased enforcement will occur not only during this particular week but will also continue throughout the summer as construction and maintenance activities increase.
Highway crews are performing services that are necessary and, with the seasons in Wisconsin, they are limited to when those services can be performed. This may cause an inconvenience and disruption to commuters, drivers and travelers, but it is unavoidable.
Wisconsin law requires motorists approaching any emergency vehicles, tow trucks and/or highway maintenance vehicles with emergency or warning lights on to slow down and drive with due regard. The “Move Over Law” also states that motorists must move to the furthest lane on roadways with two or more lanes proceeding in the same direction if it can be done safely and without interfering with any other traffic. Fines for this violation are considerable, as much as $243, with three points against the driver’s license, and a license suspension if it involves an accident.
The Highway and Sheriff’s departments are united in asking drivers to slow down in work zones and whenever passing maintenance or law enforcement vehicles. Please help keep highway workers, law enforcement and other emergency workers safe on our highways.
