In the year 2022, there were 4,639 work-zone-related crashes reported in Ohio. Of these, 21 were fatal to the drivers and passengers, with zero worker deaths. This was an improvement from 2021 which had 4,796 crashes in Ohio work zones, with 35% occurring with workers present. These crashes resulted in 1,759 injuries and 29 deaths. Of those, 20 workers were injured and one killed.    

Work zone crashes continue to be a severe and life-threatening issue for Laborers and other trades who put their life on the line to maintain Ohio’s roads and bridges. The good news is there is a new technology that is being implemented and improved to increase work zone safety for construction workers as well as drivers.  

Work zone intrusion alarms, portable variable speed limits, artificial intelligence, and mobile app integration are some technologies being tested and combined to improve worksite safety for workers and drivers.  

Work zone intrusion alarms have been adopted on some worksites to alert crews when an intrusion occurs. The technology is currently being bettered using artificial intelligence to increase the multitude and speed of crash detections. In addition to work zone intrusion alarms, the use of portable variable speed limits, often paired with traffic sensors, increases the awareness of drivers and has been shown to reduce speeds and the number and severity of crashes.

To learn more about new technology changing work zone safety, visit:  https://www.itskrs.its.dot.gov.