Slow it down

Orange barrels along Kansas highways are a positive sign. They show improvements are being made to roadways, that jobs and economic development opportunities are increasing across the state and that motorists will be able to get where they are going more efficiently for years to come.

Behind those orange barrels are highway workers, and those workers deserve our respect and attention every time we enter a work zone. Having vehicles drive by within inches of you is scary and can be dangerous.

What motorists don't realize is work zone safety is for them as well. In fact, nearly 90 percent of the people injured or killed in work zone crashes are not highway workers -- they're motorists. And the No. 1 cause of crashes in work zones is inattention.

This is why we participate in National Work Zone Awareness Week, which is April 23 to 27. It's a time to highlight the need for work zone safety for both highway workers and motorists, and it's an important message that needs to be remembered all year long. You can learn more about this effort at www.ksdot.org. Just click on the Go Orange logo on the main page.

We encourage motorists to slow down and pay extra attention every time they see orange barrels along the highways. Lives are on the line in work zones, and the life you save could be your own.

Mike King

Kansas Transportation Secretary