Give road crews a break
Slow down.
Put your coffee down. Hang up your phone. Turn down the radio, audiobook or latest true crime podcast you have become obsessed with.
It is road construction season in Wisconsin.
Your one job as a driver is to navigate safely to your destination. Safely not just for you and your passengers, but for other drivers on the roads and especially for those working in construction zones.
Crews are out working on road projects around the state. These men and women are patching, paving, rebuilding and seeking to otherwise stay one step ahead of damage caused by Wisconsin’s unruly weather.
Workers are out in force doing their jobs. From the flaggers who direct traffic, to the drivers hauling loads of gravel and other building materials, to the operators on the bulldozers and backhoes, each has a job to do and often a challenging environment in which to do it.
With all the things that road crews have to deal with on the job site, it is important for motorists to avoid being one of them. These men and women may seem to be blurs as you race by them at highway speeds ignoring the signs to slow down, but they are people just like you are. And just like you, they have children, families, friends and loved ones that they look forward to seeing at the end of their shift.
According to the Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics, in Wisconsin, in 2022, transportation incidents resulted in 42 fatal work injuries and accounted for 34% of all fatal workplace injuries. Contact with objects and equipment resulted in 23 fatalities, up from 18 in 2021.
Nationally, transportation incidents were the most frequent fatal workplace event in 2022, accounting for 38% of fatal work injuries, far outpacing falls, slips and trips, which were the secondmost common fatal event at 16%.
These statistics are sobering. As road work season gets into full swing and extends over the coming spring and summer months, it is important as ever that drivers stay vigilant. Anything that can distract you from navigating the sea of orange construction cones should be avoided and your concentration should be fixed solely on driving.
The state of Wisconsin has little faith in this actually happening. That is why traffic fines are higher in road construction areas and law enforcement can often be found close by road work areas with high traffic volumes. It would be great to prove them wrong and actually follow basic road safety rules such as obeying posted speed limits, paying attention to changing conditions and keeping our eyes and attention on the roads.
It is road construction season in Wisconsin, and while no one enjoys having to deal with the headaches of snarled traffic and detours, we all must do our part to ensure that everyone working and driving on the roads is able to get home safely at the end of the day.
The Tribune-Record-Gleaner editorial board consists of publisher Kris O’Leary and Star News editor Brian Wilson.
