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Transportation Officials Urge Caution From Drivers During Work Zone Safety Month

Oklahoma Department of Transportation

The Oklahoma Department of Transportation is asking drivers to prepare for the spring and summer construction season.

"In fact, there will be nearly 270 highway work zones along with numerous temporary maintenance work zones statewide throughout summer. This work is critical to maintain and improve our highway and interstate infrastructure and bridges," said ODOT Chief Engineer Brian Taylor.

Officials urge drivers to do their part to keep themselves and workers safe. April is ODOT’s work zone safety month. Taylor said over the past five years, nearly 1,400 people have been injured and 83 killed in more than 7,700 work zone crashes. 

"The top three causes of work zone fatalities are speeding, following too closely, inattention at the wheel. Eliminating these dangerous driving habits will help keep you and others safe," Taylor said.

Work zones are also trying out new safety measures, like signs several miles ahead of work on the I-44/U.S. 75 interchange in Tulsa and a zipper merge on I-35 near Pauls Valley. Taylor encourages people to check their routes for construction before getting behind the wheel by using the Drive Oklahoma mobile app or by checking traffic advisories at odot.org or oktraffic.org.

Matt Trotter joined KWGS as a reporter in 2013. Before coming to Public Radio Tulsa, he was the investigative producer at KJRH. His freelance work has appeared in the Los Angeles Times and on MSNBC and CNN.
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