Summit County Executive Ilene Shapiro is highlighting the importance of road safety by recognizing National Work Zone Awareness Week, which runs April 21-25. The annual campaign, themed “Respect the zone so we all get home,” emphasizes safety for both commuters and road workers.
Executive Shapiro presented a proclamation to Laborers Local Union No. 894 to honor the awareness week, which has been recognized nationally since 2000 after beginning as a Virginia Department of Transportation campaign in 1998.
“These men and women build the infrastructure that connects us to our economy, our livelihoods, our friends and family, and so much more,” said Executive Shapiro. “Their safety is everyone’s safety, which is why it is so important that we slow down, stay aware, and help keep each other safe on the road, especially in construction zones.”
The recognition comes amid alarming statistics showing that from 2019 to early 2025, nearly 26,000 work zone crashes occurred across Ohio, resulting in over 9,000 injuries and 99 fatalities. Summit County led the state with 576 work zone crashes in 2023 alone.
Speeding remains a significant factor in these incidents, with over a third of the 3,760 citations written by the Ohio State Highway Patrol in 2023 being for speeds more than 20 miles per hour over posted limits.
The Ohio Department of Transportation has also launched the “Not Just a Roadside Worker” campaign to raise awareness of Ohio’s Move Over Law, which requires drivers to move over and slow down for any stationary vehicle with flashing lights on the roadside.
