Road Safety at Work is asking drivers on Vancouver Island to practice safe habits in construction zones to protect the workers.
The group says that between 2016 and 2025, 11 roadside workers were killed and 263 injured in construction zones.
“Work zones are complex, fast-changing environments,” Trace Acres, spokesperson for the Work Zone Safety campaign, said in a news release.
“If drivers lose focus even for a moment, they can miss critical cues. And that’s when people get hurt.”
When driving through a construction zone, drivers are reminded to pay attention, follow the speed limit and obey the traffic control people and devices.
“As roadside work ramps up this summer, there will be more people working just metres from traffic, doing important jobs to maintain infrastructure, and to help move people and cars through work zones safely,” Jennifer Whiteside, minister of labour, said in a news release.
“The important responsibility that drivers have to slow down and stay alert can make the difference between safety and tragedy. I ask everyone to do their part in ensuring that every worker can go home safe at the end of their shift.”
If passing a vehicle on the side of the road with flashing lights, drivers must follow the Slow Down, Move Over law, which requires drivers to slow to 70 kilometres per hour if the posted speed limit is above 80, or slow to 40 km/h in any lower speed limit area.
“Roadside workers are doing jobs that keep our communities running,” Acres says. “Staying alert when you drive through a work zone is one of the simplest ways to help them get home safely.”