National Work Zone Awareness Week (NWZAW) runs from April 20-24, 2026, and AAA is supporting the American Traffic Safety Services Association in raising awareness across the country. This year’s theme is, “Safe Actions Save Lives.”

NWZAW highlights the deadly dangers of inattention at highway work areas. In 2023, 899 people died in work zones, including 82 highway workers, according to the most recent data available from www.workzonesafety.org. What many fail to recognize is most people killed in work zone crashes are motorists and their passengers. In 2023, 705 drivers and their passengers died in work zones, making it even more important for drivers to slow down and stay focused while approaching and passing through a roadway work zone.

A recent AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety (AAA FTS) report finds that more than 2,100 people were struck and killed while stranded or working on the roadside from 2019–2023. Included among them were drivers and passengers who exited disabled vehicles, as well as roadside assistance providers, law enforcement officers, firefighters, emergency medical services providers, and “Good Samaritans” attempting to help. Slow Down, Move Over (SDMO) laws seek to protect these vulnerable road users. In New York, the Slow Down, Move Over law expanded in 2024 to include all disabled vehicles on the roadside in an effort to protect stranded motorists.

“You see those cones? You see the lights? Please follow the law,” said Jeff Sgarlata, AAA Fleet Emergency Road Service Supervisor. “Our emergency roadside workers are there to help. Give us room to work. We want to get home to our families as well. It's a responsibility as a driver to pay attention.”

NWZAW is held in April, which is also Distracted Driving Awareness Month. Often, drivers may be distracted when they fail to slow down and move over. AAA FTS research has found that 42 percent of drivers who do not comply with Move Over laws think that their behavior is not dangerous to people on the roadside. AAA reminds drivers that there’s only about three feet of space separating workers from moving vehicles.

To protect individuals on the roadside and to improve highway safety, AAA offers these precautionary tips:

• Always remain alert. Avoid distractions and focus on the task of driving.
• Watch for situations where emergency vehicles, tow trucks, utility service vehicles or disabled vehicles are stopped on the side of the road.
• When approaching any disabled vehicle, or an emergency vehicle with lights flashing on the side of a two-lane roadway, drivers should slow down to a speed that is safe and approach with caution unless otherwise directed by an emergency worker on the scene.
• On multi-lane roadways, slow down when you see the flashing lights of an emergency vehicle at the roadside and, if possible, move over into an adjacent lane. If you are unable to switch lanes, slow to a speed that is safe and reasonable. Some states recommend slowing to a speed that is 10-20 mph less than the posted speed limit.

The organizers of NWZAW are encouraging the public to share messages on social media on Thursday, April 23 with hashtags #NWZAW and #WorkZoneSafety between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. ET.