Reinforce Safety Practices During National Work Zone Awareness Week - Arcoro

Written by Erin Sandage | Apr 22, 2025 8:00:36 AM

With worker safety on the line every time a project begins, it’s critical to educate both employees and the public about how to reduce risks and protect lives.

National Work Zone Awareness Week

National Work Zone Awareness Week (NWZAW), observed this year from April 21–25, is an annual campaign that aligns with the start of the construction season. Its goal? To encourage safe driving in and around highway work zones and bring nationwide attention to the importance of protecting roadway workers.

The campaign is a collaborative effort between state departments of transportation, national road safety organizations, government agencies, private companies and individuals. The key message: Drivers must use extra caution when traveling through work zones.

The History of NWZAW

NWZAW officially got going in 1999, but the idea began in 1997 when a group of Virginia Department of Transportation staff members wanted to dedicate a week to raise awareness about work zone safety among all district employees before construction projects picked up during the warmer months. The idea caught on, with the California Department of Transportation launching a statewide public awareness campaign soon after. In December 1999, the American Traffic Safety Services Association approached the Federal Highway Administration and the American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials to launch the first official NWZAW in spring of 2000.

The goals for NWZAW are to:

Each year, NWZAW supports its mission by:
Raising public awareness about the need for extra caution in work zones
Promoting consistent, actionable safety tips
Encouraging training and adoption of best practices in work zone safety
Engaging both contractors and workers to address how driver behavior affects safety—and how to mitigate it
Building partnerships with organizations committed to improving work zone safety

How You Can Take Part in NWZAW 2025

NWZAW 2025 will be held April 21-25, hosted by North Carolina Department of Transportation. NWZAW highlights the deadly dangers of inattention at highway work areas. The 2025 weeklong commemoration includes:

Work Zone Safety Training Day – April 21. Work Zone Safety Training Day emphasizes the importance of laying the groundwork for safety through training of personnel. Companies were encouraged to pause during the workday for safety demonstrations, discussions about safety policies and other prevention steps.
National Kickoff Event – April 22. The NWZAW 2025 kickoff event will be hosted by the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) at a public site in the state.
Go Orange Day – April 23. All roadway safety professionals across the country are encouraged to wear orange to proudly show their support of work zone safety. NWZAW and Go Orange Day are especially important to the families of victims who have lost their lives in work zones.
Social media storm – April 24. Organizations, companies, institutions and individuals are urged to share messages and use hashtags #NWZAW and #WorkZoneSafety throughout social media between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. ET.
Moment of Silence – April 25. The Moment of Silence started in 2022 and encourages companies and families to join together for a moment of silence as a tribute to the people who lost their lives in a work zone incident.

Other resources available include:

ATSS Foundation – National Work Zone Safe Teen Driver program
CDC/NIOSH – Distracted driving and risk factors: Motor vehicle safety at work and Parents are key to safe teen drivers
OSHA – Guidelines for Employers to Reduce Motor Vehicle Crashes
NSC – Safe Driving Kit
NHTSA – Distracted Driving
WHO – Mobile phone use: a growing problem of driver distraction
FHWA – Work Zone Facts and Statistics
FMCSA – Work Zone Safety sharable material
National Work Zone Safety Information Clearninghouse – WorkZoneSafey.org

Train Your Team to Stay Safe—Every Day

Participating in awareness weeks like NWZAW is a powerful reminder of the real risks construction workers face daily—and the steps we can take to keep them safe.

Arcoro’s Learning Management System (LMS) helps your company prioritize safety through accessible, consistent training. With Arcoro, employees can complete training at their convenience, and you can easily load pre-approved OSHA content and other educational materials, including safety programs from partners like SkillSignal.

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