Agency partners come together to urge drivers to slow down and pay attention in work zones

VANCOUVER – Every summer, drivers encounter work zones on state highways and local roads. Increasingly, driver behavior is making work zones more dangerous for everyone. The top three causes of work zone collisions in 2024 were following too closely, excessive speed, and inattention or distracted driving.

On April 17, Clark County Public Works, Washington State Department of Transportation, Vancouver Public Works, Portland Bureau of Transportation, Washington State Patrol and the Clark County Sheriff’s Office came together ahead of National Work Zone Awareness Week to urge the community to drive safely through work zones. After the speakers shared their remarks, reporters, photographers and videographers were invited to a work zone on Northeast Padden Parkway to experience firsthand what it’s like to work near high-speed traffic.

“In 2024, Washington state saw a 17% increase of crashes in work zones across the state, and a 36% increase in just the serious injury crash category,” said WSDOT Southwest Region Administrator Carley Francis. “Serious injury crashes mean that people and their families have been severely impacted, maybe for the rest of their lives. And it was all preventable. Please slow down and help us make sure all people traveling on or repairing our roadways get home safely.”

“If you read a text while driving at just 35 mph for even six seconds, you’ll travel the length of a football field without your eyes on the road,” said County Engineer Jeremy Provenzola. “A lot can happen in six seconds – vehicles pulling out of driveways, traffic stopping suddenly for something in the road, or a child running out into the road after a ball. You may pass a worker doing their job in the roadway, meaning drifting even inches out of your lane could have disastrous consequences. One text isn’t worth the risk. As serious injury and fatal collisions increase across the state, including right here in Clark County, it is more important than ever that you check your speed and keep your eyes on the road whenever you get behind the wheel. When you’re driving, you hold more than just the wheel in your hands. You hold your life and the lives of others. You’re controlling thousands of pounds of metal traveling at speeds that can seriously injure or kill.”

Clark County Sheriff’s Office Traffic Homicide Unit Detective Brian Durbin and Clark County Highway Maintenance Crew Chief Ben Kemp shared personal stories about their vehicles or coworkers being struck in work zones by distracted or reckless drivers.

“Our crews are out filling potholes, repairing pavement, cleaning storm basins, and painting lanes. When you see a work zone pop-up on your street, pay attention to the signs, follow the instructions of the flaggers, slow down and give room to the workers,” said Vancouver Public Works Transportation Division Manager Ryan Lopossa.

At Thursday’s event, WSDOT also spoke about the new Work Zone Speed Camera Program, which will provide the Washington State Patrol with images and data about vehicles speeding in work zones. The law enforcement agency will send a notice of infraction to the driver if it determines that a speed violation has been committed. Six cameras will be activated across the state by this summer. The trailer-mounted cameras will rotate through construction, maintenance and emergency projects throughout the state where speeding is a problem.

While unsafe driving in work zones can earn drivers monetary fines, the consequences can be much more severe. Drivers need to remember that their choices behind the wheel mean the difference between life and death, not only for workers but also for themselves. When crews work on the roads, lives are on the line.

The partners are asking the community and press to help share this critical safety message. Any organization or outlet that would like to share information is encouraged to contact Clark County Public Works communications manager Kaley McLachlan-Burton, at kaley.mclachlan-burton@clark.wa.gov or 564.397.4398, for additional images, video clips and other multimedia.

Clark County Public Works and WSDOT host webpages with additional information about driving safely in work zones, at wsdot.wa.gov/about/seasonal-events-programs/give-em-brake and clark.wa.gov/public-works/drive-safely-work-zones.

For information about road and park projects, closures, opportunities for community input, and more, residents can follow Public Works on X (formerly known as Twitter), Facebook and Instagram and view information on Nextdoor.

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Information provided by Clark Co. WA Communications.