National Work Zone Awareness Week is April 15 to 19, 2024
BRAMPTON, ON (April 15, 2024) – Today marks the start of National Work Zone Awareness week, a campaign highlighting the importance of slowing down when driving through work zones.
As road maintenance and construction season starts across Peel, all road users are asked to slow down and exercise extra caution when travelling through work zones to protect on-site workers and keep everyone safe. National Work Zone Awareness Week aims to help drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians understand that work zone safety is a shared responsibility.
Reducing vehicle speed can help avoid collisions and can reduce the impact by giving people more time to react and stop.
What is a work zone?
Work zones are any areas where construction is taking place on the road. It includes both stationary and moving work zones such as line painting vehicles. This work can impact speed limits, number of lanes, sidewalks, bike lanes, turning ability and visibility within the zone.
When navigating through work zones, keep these tips in mind:
• Be aware. Pay attention to signage posted throughout work zones. These signs warn drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists that they’re approaching construction and will direct everyone safely through the work zone.
• Stay focused. Keep your eyes on the road and avoid all distractions such as cellphones and eating while driving.
• Keep your distance. Lane closures, reduced speeds, and traffic pattern shifts are common in work zones. Be alert and expect the unexpected.
• Slow down as you approach workers. Give them room to work and be prepared to stop.
• Plan ahead. Use our new construction map to see where current and upcoming construction is happening on Peel routes.
Peel Region is committed to Vision Zero and is working to prevent injuries and fatalities due to collisions on our roadways. The Vision Zero approach focuses on everyone’s responsibility to be aware of their surroundings and follow the rules of the road.
For more information on work zone safety in Peel, visit peelregion.ca/construction/work-zone-safety
Quotations
“Construction work plays a key role in maintaining and upgrading our roadways and is vital for building new infrastructure for the future. Whether we walk, cycle, transit, or drive, we are all road users. Simple things, like slowing down in a work zone and not driving while distracted, can make big improvements to road safety.”
Kealy Dedman, Commissioner, Public Works.
