A Day-by-Day Look at National Work Zone Awareness Week 2026

National Work Zone Awareness Week kicks off today with a weeklong roster designed to encourage safe driving through work zones as construction season ramps up.

This year’s theme, “Safe Actions Save Lives,” promotes safe driving behaviors — such as reducing speed, eliminating distractions and obeying flaggers and signage in work zones — to reduce work zone fatalities.

In 2023, there were 899 deaths in work zones and 82 highway worker occupational fatalities on road construction sites, according to the most recent data from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Work zone safety does not only impact construction workers, but also many civilians. In 2023 alone, NHTSA recorded 705 drivers and passengers getting killed in work zones — signifying the importance of slowing down when approaching and passing through a work zone.

National Work Zone Awareness Week, hosted by the American Traffic Safety Services Association (ATSSA), began in 1997 by a group of staff members from the Virginia Department of Transportation. The idea was eventually brought before ATSSA, who approached the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials to launch the first nationwide event in 2000.

Monday, April 20 – Work Zone Safety Training Day

The weeklong event kicks off today with “Work Zone Safety Training Day” — focused on personnel training to foster worker safety at every level.

Contractors and transportation agencies are invited to implement a pause during the workday to host safety demonstrations, trainings and discussions around safety for their employees.

Resources for employee trainings and demonstrations are available through the Center for Construction Research and Training, here.

Tuesday, April 21 – National Kickoff Event

The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) is hosting this year’s kickoff event and press conference in Farmington, Conn.

Speakers from the local, state and federal level will be joined by members of the community to speak at this year’s event, which will launch at 10 a.m.

This year’s speakers include FHWA Administrator Sean McMaster, CTDOT Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto, Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont and local industry leaders, among others.

The national kickoff event travels to a new location each year, with North Carolina hosting last year’s event.

Wednesday, April 22 – Go Orange Day

Wear orange to show your support for work zone safety! “Go Orange Day” is especially meaningful to the families of victims who have lost their lives in a work zone. Share photos of your team in orange with the hashtags #NWZAW and #Orange4Safety.

Go Orange Day was first introduced to the week’s slate of events in 2016 by the FHWA, and ATSSA incorporated the social media component. In its first year, about 100 organizations took part in the event and shared their Go Orange Day pictures to social media.

Thursday, April 23 – Social Media Storm

This day is about flooding social media with messages to advance work zone safety. Share your post with the hashtags #NWZAW and #WorkZoneSafety between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. to take part in the day’s events.

Social media images and a cheat sheet for your post are available on the National Work Zone Awareness Week website, here.

Friday, April 24 – Moment of Silence

Take a moment to join together with your company or family to remember those lost in work zone incidents. This initiative was first introduced in 2022 and has closed out the weeklong event ever since.

As we head into National Work Zone Awareness Week, remember that simple choices behind the wheel — such as slowing down and staying alert — are often all it takes to prevent a tragic outcome for both workers and the traveling public.