Honoring the Workers We Have Lost
Every year, roadside workers across the United States are killed while doing their jobs. Flaggers. Pavement crews. Utility workers. Equipment operators. Inspectors. They were not statistics. They were parents, partners, siblings, and friends who left for a shift and never came home.
The National Work Zone Memorial, maintained by ATSSA, travels the country bearing the names of workers lost in work zone incidents. It is a permanent reminder that every cone, every sign, and every flagger position exists because someone learned the hard way what happens when driver behavior fails.
We carry their names into every deployment.
Why This Week Exists
Every year in the United States, hundreds of people die in work zone crashes. Roadside workers. Drivers. Passengers. Most of those deaths were preventable. National Work Zone Awareness Week exists because the numbers have not improved on their own, and because the workers behind the cones deserve the public's attention for at least one week every year.
15 min A work zone crash occurs approximately every 15 minutes on US roadways. Source: FHWA Work Zone Facts
The causes are familiar and documented: speeding, distracted driving, following too closely, late merges, and failure to yield to traffic control personnel. None of them are mysteries. All of them are driver choices. That is why the campaign is aimed at drivers, not at the industry.
How to Participate: April 20–24, 2026
Each day of National Work Zone Awareness Week carries a specific theme. Contractors, agencies, and drivers can participate in all five days or any single observance that fits their schedule.
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Monday April 20
National Kickoff Event
The FHWA and ATSSA open National Work Zone Awareness Week with a national kickoff event and public messaging launch. Companies, agencies, and media outlets are encouraged to share campaign materials and begin outreach.
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Tuesday April 21
Go Orange Day
Wear orange to show support for roadside workers and the work zone safety community. Contractors, DOT staff, first responders, and the general public are encouraged to wear orange and share photos using campaign hashtags.
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Wednesday April 22
Moment of Silence
A national moment of silence is observed in memory of roadside workers, drivers, and passengers who have lost their lives in work zone incidents. Workplaces, agencies, and crews are encouraged to pause and observe.
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Thursday April 23
Social Media Storm
Campaign messaging saturates social media. Companies, agencies, and individuals share work zone safety messages, driver education content, and tributes to fallen workers. Amplification is the objective.
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Friday April 24
Campaign Close & Commitment
The week closes with renewed commitment. The message does not end on Friday. The behaviors the campaign asks of drivers apply every day of the year, every time a driver encounters an active work zone.
Daily themes are published annually by the FHWA and ATSSA. Confirm the most current schedule at the FHWA NWZAW hub.
Six Behaviors That Save Lives
The workers behind the cones cannot control driver behavior. Every sign, flagger, and lane closure depends on the person behind the wheel doing these six things. None of them are complicated. All of them save lives.
Slow Down
Posted work zone speed limits exist for the conditions present that day. Reduced speed gives drivers more time to react to lane shifts, flaggers, and stopped traffic. Fines are doubled in active work zones across every Mid-Atlantic state.
Move Over
Every state has Move Over laws protecting roadside workers, emergency responders, and stopped vehicles. When signs or cones narrow the roadway, change lanes early and give the work zone the space it needs.
Put the Phone Away
Distracted driving is one of the leading causes of work zone crashes. A two-second glance at a phone at highway speed covers the length of a football field. Flaggers and cones deserve full attention.
Follow the Flagger
Certified flaggers have legal authority to direct traffic inside a work zone. Their signals override standard signage. When a flagger stops you, stop. When they wave you through, proceed at reduced speed.
Merge Early
Late merges and aggressive lane changes cause rear-end and sideswipe crashes inside tapers. When advance warning signs appear, identify the open lane and merge at a steady interval. Do not race to the closure point.
Stay Alert
Work zone configurations change daily. A taper that was in one lane yesterday may be in another today. Keep scanning for new signage, pavement markings, and crew positions. Do not assume conditions match what you saw last week.
The Workers the Campaign Protects
Flaggers, equipment operators, setup crews, and field supervisors. These are the professionals who set the tapers before sunrise and break them down after sunset. Every cone, every closure, and every work zone exists because a trained crew showed up to put it there. National Work Zone Awareness Week is built to protect the people in these photographs.
They go home at the end of a shift because drivers do their part.
Learn More & Get Involved
The organizations below lead, organize, and sustain work zone safety efforts year-round. Their resources are authoritative and available to everyone.
- Federal Highway Administration National Work Zone Awareness Week Hub Official campaign hub with current year theme, daily themes, downloadable materials, and historical campaign archives. ops.fhwa.dot.gov →
- American Traffic Safety Services Association ATSSA Campaign Materials Industry association leading work zone safety certification, public outreach, and the National Work Zone Memorial program. atssa.com →
- ATSSA National Work Zone Memorial The traveling memorial bearing the names of roadside workers lost in work zone incidents. Available for public viewing and private remembrance. atssa.com/memorial →
- Federal Highway Administration Work Zone Facts & Statistics Current fatality and crash data, trend reporting, and state-level work zone safety information. ops.fhwa.dot.gov →
- NWZAW Official Site National Work Zone Awareness Week Central campaign site coordinating the partnership between FHWA, ATSSA, AASHTO, and state DOTs. nwzaw.org →
Frequently Asked Questions
What is National Work Zone Awareness Week?
National Work Zone Awareness Week is an annual campaign led by the Federal Highway Administration, the American Traffic Safety Services Association, and the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. It takes place each spring to coincide with the start of the construction season and raises public awareness about the need for driver caution in active work zones.
When is NWZAW 2026?
The 2026 campaign runs from Monday, April 20 through Friday, April 24. The week opens with a national kickoff event on April 20 and includes Go Orange Day, a national moment of silence for fallen workers, a social media outreach day, and a campaign close. Daily themes are announced by the FHWA and ATSSA each year.
What is Go Orange Day?
Go Orange Day is the day during NWZAW when contractors, DOT staff, first responders, and the general public are encouraged to wear orange in solidarity with roadside workers. Orange is the universal color of work zone safety equipment and signage. Participants share photos on social media using campaign hashtags to amplify the message.
What is the moment of silence?
During NWZAW, a national moment of silence is observed in memory of roadside workers, drivers, and passengers who have lost their lives in work zone incidents. Companies, agencies, and crews are encouraged to pause briefly and observe. Many workplaces mark the moment with a brief team gathering or a safety stand-down.
How can drivers participate in NWZAW 2026?
Drivers participate by changing their behavior. Slow down in work zones. Move over when lanes narrow. Put the phone away. Follow flagger instructions. Merge early at taper signs. Stay alert. These six behaviors, practiced consistently, prevent most work zone crashes. Campaign participation is measured in outcomes, not hashtags.
How can employers participate?
Employers can share campaign messaging with crews and clients, schedule safety stand-downs during the week, observe the moment of silence, encourage Go Orange Day participation, and distribute FHWA or ATSSA materials internally. The FHWA NWZAW hub offers downloadable posters, social graphics, and toolkit materials for employer use.
Where do work zone fatality statistics come from?
Official work zone fatality data is published by the Federal Highway Administration through its Work Zone Management Program and the Fatality Analysis Reporting System. ATSSA and state DOTs also publish supporting data. Figures are updated annually as complete crash data becomes available. Current statistics are available at the FHWA Work Zone Facts page.
Does NWZAW end when the week ends?
The campaign week ends on April 24, 2026. The responsibility does not. Work zones operate every day of the year, in every weather condition, on every road type. The six driver behaviors the campaign asks for apply every time a driver encounters an active work zone. NWZAW is a reminder, not a deadline.