To the community,

As summer road construction begins, the Nevada Department of Transportation is reminding motorists to drive safely in road work zones during National Work Zone Awareness Week April 19-23 and throughout the year.

“Each driver truly needs to give their undivided attention while driving, particularly through road work zones. That means always driving slowly and safely,” NDOT Director Susan Martinovich said.

Throughout the year, NDOT works to keep drivers and road workers safe, using protective barriers, warning signs, lane closures and flaggers in certain work zones. Speed limits are lowered through work zones and potential detour routes, when necessary, are established and noted with signs. All possible construction work is also scheduled during nighttime and off-peak hours.

There were 700 work zone fatalities nationwide in 2009. The last NDOT highway employee to lose his life while working in a work zone was Frank Fuentes, who was killed in 1995 by a drunken driver in Las Vegas. An NDOT employee was also seriously injured in 2008 while removing debris on Interstate 215 in Las Vegas.

Work zone driving tips, from minimizing distractions to slowing to work zone speed limits, are available on-line at www.nevadadot.com/safety. Information on current state road construction is also available at www.nevadadot.com, or by calling 511 from within Nevada.

National Work Zone Awareness Week is sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration.

Nevada Department of Transportation