(DODGE COUNTY) As construction ramps up across Wisconsin, the biggest risk on the road isn’t the orange barrels — it’s drivers who don’t slow down.
With National Work Zone Awareness Week kicking off Monday, local officials are urging people to pay attention, ease off the gas and give crews room to work. The annual campaign, running April 20–24, focuses on keeping both drivers and road workers safe during the busy construction season.
Dodge County Highway Commissioner Nate Minnig says the message hits close to home for the people out on the roads every day.
“Our crews are working just feet from traffic,” Minnig said. “They want to make it home to their families, just like everyone else.”
The warning comes with sobering numbers. Over the past five years, more than 10,600 crashes have happened in Wisconsin work zones, leading to 47 deaths and thousands of injuries, according to state data.
Work zones can pop up almost anywhere — from major highway projects to short-term maintenance or emergency repairs. Even when workers aren’t immediately visible, officials say the risks are still there.
That’s why drivers are being asked to stay alert, expect sudden changes and follow posted signs. Rear-end crashes are the most common in work zones, often tied to speeding or following too closely.
This year’s awareness week theme, “safe actions save lives,” is meant to remind drivers that small choices — like putting down a phone or slowing down — can make a life-or-death difference.
Midweek, the campaign also encourages people to take part in “Go Orange Day” on April 22 by wearing orange and sharing support for road workers.
Officials are also pointing to Wisconsin’s Move Over Law, which now includes disabled vehicles. Drivers must switch lanes or slow down when they see flashing lights on the side of the road. Fines double in work zones, and using a handheld phone behind the wheel is illegal.
Before heading out, drivers can check road conditions and construction updates through the state’s 511 system.
