 |
| Secretary Calvin Reed |
Kids. Siblings.
Parents. Extended family. Friends. All are important to you.
And you are just as
important to them.
At the Kansas
Department of Transportation, we understand the importance of family at home AND
at work. Across KDOT, our employees share a common mission to provide a safe,
reliable and innovative transportation system that works for all Kansans today
and in the future.
Working together to
make this happen, we develop close relationships with co-workers and associates
across the agency. I often hear mention of “our KDOT family” and know it’s true.
Family matters at KDOT because we are family.
Today marks the start
of National Work Zone Awareness Week. This
is an observance we at KDOT – in collaboration with our safety partners in law
enforcement and other organizations across the state – are always eager to
promote. The annual campaign focuses on improving safety and reducing injuries
and fatalities for highway workers and motorists in work zones.
Kansas had 1,482
crashes in work zones in 2023. That’s an average of four work zone crashes every
day of the year. The top contributing circumstance of work zone crashes is
inattention. A moment of distraction can change highway workers’ and their
families’ lives forever. Yours, too.
Other leading causes
for work zone crashes include following too closely, driving too fast for
conditions, improperly changing lanes and violating the right of way.
Starting tomorrow,
we’ll begin a four-part video series featuring KDOT highway workers and family
members sharing why work zone safety is so important. Their stories include telling
of close calls while on the job and how families worry about loved ones’ safety.
I hope hearing from members
of the KDOT family helps motorists understand how critically important it is to
slow down and pay attention while driving through work zones. Please stay safe for
the sake of your families and ours.
