Editor's note:Nile Elam is vice president of government affairs at the National Asphalt Pavement Association. This article reflects the author's personal views only.

America's 4 million miles of roads drive the economy and connect communities. But the human cost of building and maintaining these roads is something we should not accept.

According to the National Work Zone Safety Information Clearinghouse, a work zone crash occurs approximately every five minutes in the United States. More than 100 people are injured in these crashes every day, and about 17 die each week.

For the workers who build and maintain America's roads, this level of risk is unacceptable yet all too common. And they are not the only ones bearing the risk. In fact, drivers and passengers account for about 80 percent of work zone fatalities.

Some dangers in life are unavoidable, but such high crash and casualty rates are intolerable, especially since many of these incidents could be prevented with the right policies and careful implementation.

Nile Elam headshot
Nile Elam
Image used with permission from the National Asphalt Pavement Association

Lawmakers have taken notice. The bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 established the Work Zone Safety Grant Program to support a range of safety measures. Congress has also held hearings on the issue, including last year's hearing on road safety by the Highways and Transit Subcommittee, where Chairman David Rouzer (R-NC) and others called for action.

"Our enforcement can deter reckless driving in work zones, but we can also look at how to better design work zones and associated traffic patterns to reduce these crashes," Rouzer said at a February 2025 hearing.

National Work Zone Awareness Week

Industry leaders have long pushed for progress. This week marks the 26th annual National Work Zone Awareness Week, an event promoted by industry partners and transportation agencies to encourage safe driving in work zones. Industry groups have also formed the National Work Zone Safety Alliance to encourage lawmakers to act.

Overall, we are moving in the right direction, but we need to do more—and quickly—because progress has not kept pace with the severity of the problem. In 2024, about three in five highway contractors reported that a vehicle had entered their work zone in the past year.

The Road Ahead for Work Zone Safety

Fortunately, 2026 is a significant year for transportation policy. Congress is working to reauthorize the surface transportation bill, which provides a clear opportunity to turn words into action.

As lawmakers craft this year's bill, work zone safety must be a top priority, especially because there are practical bipartisan actions available:

  • Advance the Preventing Roadside and Work Zone Deaths Act.
  • Strengthen tools such as the Work Zone Safety Grant Program.
  • Invest in proven safety measures, from enforcement to driver education programs to modern traffic control technologies.

The Work Zone Safety Grant Program itself exemplifies both progress and missed opportunity. While these funds are available to all 50 states, very few states actually use them. The policy intent is right, but implementation must improve.

Work zone safety is a shared responsibility. Policymakers must set strong standards. Agency officials must enforce them. Enforcement must ensure compliance. Industry must continue to innovate and apply best practices. Above all, drivers must stay alert and slow down. We all have a role to play.

This year, as Congress works on highway bill reauthorization, National Work Zone Awareness Week must go beyond talk. This is a moment for action. Lawmakers should incorporate these practical reforms into this year's bill, and voters should make clear why these reforms matter.

The solutions are within reach. It's time to seize them.