Press Release: Motorists Urged to Drive Carefully and Protect People in Work Zones

National Work Zone Awareness Week is April 20-24, 2026

Construction season is back and the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT), the Rhode Island State Police, the Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority, the Rhode Island Police Chiefs Association and their many safety partners are reminding motorists to slow down and drive safely in work zones. This week (April 20-24) is National Work Zone Awareness Week for 2026.

RIDOT and all DOTs across the country today held press events to highlight the importance of safe driving habits to protect the dedicated workers rebuilding our roads and bridges and the public safety officials assisting them and other motorists. Nationwide, fatal crashes in work zones have steadily increased. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, about 900 people a year die in work zone crashes. That's up significantly from an average of 500 per year 10 years ago.

Fortunately, Rhode Island has not recorded a fatal work zone crash for many years. However, each year there are hundreds of crashes in work zones which are trending upwards. In 2025 there were 1,184 zone-related crashes in Rhode Island, up from 772 crashes five years ago.

"Work zone crashes are entirely preventable � if you encounter a work zone your first instinct should be to reduce your speed and drive very carefully, knowing there are many workers along the sides of the road, often mere feet away from fast-moving highway traffic," RIDOT Interim Director Robert Rocchio said. "Each April we get together in solidarity with DOTs across the country, law enforcement and all our safety partners to reiterate these safe driving messages and ask for the public's help in making sure all our workers go home safely after a hard day's work."

Working in these hazardous conditions is commonplace for RIDOT's maintenance workers, and they have seen more than their share of crashes and close calls. Last year a landscaping crew cutting grass was pulled off in the breakdown lane on the side of Route 24 in Portsmouth. A car veered into the breakdown lane, struck a trailer carrying mowers and flipped over. Fortunately, the workers were far enough away from the trailer and were unharmed. And just last week, a car on Route 146 clipped the side mirror of a truck working on the side of Route 146A in North Smithfield. Thankfully, no one was injured. In both incidents, the drivers were cited for causing the crashes.

"We always tell our guys to be aware, to have their head on a swivel and keep aware of their surroundings," said Keith McCarthy, chief compliance inspector for RIDOT Health and Safety, who spoke at the event. "We're just asking drivers to be alert and aware of work zones so we can keep our people safe."

In 2008, Rhode Island passed the "move over" law, which requires drivers to move over a lane when approaching a first responder stopped on the road. In 2014, the law was expanded to include construction and highway maintenance workers. Even if drivers can't change lanes when approaching workers or first responders, the law requires them to slow down and leave as much space as possible between their vehicle and those that are stopped. Each year, state and local law enforcement join with RIDOT to help promote this important safety message.

Safety is RIDOT's highest priority, and all work zones are established with careful attention to safety and in coordination with national standards and best practices. RIDOT routinely inspects all work zones on state roads, including those set up by contractors, bridge inspectors and utility companies. This interaction includes making sure work zones are set up correctly with repeat visits to make sure they remain in compliance.

RIDOT plans the timing and duration of work zones to reduce as much as possible the impact to traffic flow and travel time. The potential impact to traffic is carefully studied during the design process on each project with continual monitoring during projects for any changes that can be made to lessen congestion. All planned work requiring lane or road closures is posted on RIDOT's website at www.ridot.net/traveladvisories and real-time traffic incident information is available on RIDOT's X feed at www.x.com/RIDOTNews.

In addition to today's event, RIDOT coordinated with the Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority and Rhode Island Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance to illuminate key structures in orange in recognition of Work Zone Awareness Week. This includes the State House, the Sakonnet River Bridge and the Pawtucket River Bridge. Additionally, Big Blue Bug Solutions is currently displaying a Work Zone Awareness Week banner at its "Nibbles Woodaway" statue on the roof of its Providence office, highly visible to motorists on I-95. During this week, AAA and the Rhode Island Division of Motor Vehicles will highlight work zone safety messages on monitors in its offices and RIDOT will be using a variety of advertising mediums to help spread the important message of safe driving in work zones.