National Work Zone Awareness Week is April 23-27.

“There was one death and close to 700 work zone crashes in active Nevada work zones last year,” NDOT Director Susan Martinovich said in a press release. “Each driver truly needs to give their undivided attention while driving, particularly through road work zones.That means driving slowly and safely.”

Work is going on now on Highway 28 on the East Shore, with Highway 50 in South Tahoe to be dug up starting in May. Photo/LTN

Throughout the year, NDOT and partners work to keep drivers and road workers safe, using protective barriers, warning signs, lower speed limits, lane closures and flaggers in certain work zones. Construction work is also scheduled during nighttime and off-peak hours.

While work zone driving fatalities across the U.S. have steadily declined from a high of 1,186 in 2002, vehicle drivers and passengers comprise up to 90 percent of national work zone deaths. 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.

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