AMES, Iowa – April 20, 2026 – As the Iowa Department of Transportation observes National Work Zone Awareness Week (NWZAW) April 20–24, we are reminded that every barrel, cone, sign, and barrier represent people – mothers, fathers, friends, and neighbors – working just feet from moving traffic. This year’s theme, “SAFE ACTIONS SAVE LIVES,” reflects our shared responsibility to protect those who help keep Iowa’s roads open and our communities connected.
For the Iowa DOT, work zone safety is a top priority rooted in our mission to maintain the safety and wellbeing of our employees and contractors working on our roadways – and motorists traveling on them. Each year, hundreds of road and bridge construction and repair work sites span the state, and the choices drivers make in these areas have real and lasting impacts.
Iowa DOT statistics reveal that from 2016-2025, there have been 6,639 work zone crashes. Those crash figures also show:
- A total of 67 crashes were fatal and resulted in 73 deaths.
- Speeding was a contributing factor in 3,058 crashes.
- In 2025, Iowa saw 741 work zone crashes.
- Most crashes happened during clear weather conditions (74%) during daylight hours (75%) on dry surfaces (87%).
- The leading cause of those collisions was motorists following too close (20%).
Statistics from the National Work Zone Safety Information Clearinghouse show that in 2023 there were an estimated 101,000 work zone crashes.
- The crashes resulted in 899 deaths and approximately 39,000 injuries.
- There were 94 roadway workers killed in work zones that year.
- On a national level, the vast majority of people killed in work zones are motorists or passengers.
The significance of safe travel through work zones resonated deeply in 2024 when a work zone tragedy took the life of a DOT staff member. On May 16, 2024, Matt Dickerson, a maintenance employee at the Neola Garage in western Iowa, was fatally injured when he was struck by a motorist in a work zone on I-80 near Council Bluffs. Dickerson is one of 19 DOT employees who have been killed in the line of duty in a work zone since 1953.
Several events are planned nationally and locally for the 2026 National Work Zone Awareness Week including:
- Monday, April 20 – Work Zone Safety Training Day – Laying the groundwork for safety through staff training.
- Tuesday, April 21 – National Kickoff Event – Hosted by the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CDOT). Iowa DOT will post a video from the point of view of work zone employees’ pets who count on their best friends returning home safely at the end of the day.
- Wednesday, April 22 – “Go Orange Day” – All roadway safety professionals across the country are encouraged to wear orange to show their support of work zone safety. The Iowa DOT will gather employees at their Ames location for a group photo and also post photos received from staff in DOT locations across the state.
- Thursday, April 23 – Social Media Storm – Traffic safety organizations and the public are urged to share messages in support of work zone safety and use hashtags #NWZAW, #WorkZoneSafety #SafeActionsSaveLives.
- Friday, April 24 – Enforcement Partnership and Moment of Silence – DOT and Iowa State Patrol are partnering to share the view from a Des Moines metro work zone to help the public see it from the other side of the barriers. Another video will encourage the public to join together for a moment of silence as a tribute to 2025 work zone victims.
Motorists are urged to drive with caution, obey the posted speed limit and other signs in the work area, and be aware that traffic fines for moving violations are at least double in work zones. As in all work zones, you should stay alert, allow ample space between vehicles, and wear seat belts.
Work zones can be identified anytime on Iowa 511, the DOT’s travel information system. Visit 511ia.org; call 511 (within Iowa) or 800-288-1047 (nationwide); stay connected with 511 on Facebook or Twitter (find links at
https://iowadot.gov/511/511-social-media-sites); or download the free app to your mobile device.
It’s easy to subscribe to Your 511 and sign up to receive email/text alerts. Visit https://new.511ia.org/#login to sign up. For instructions and help with this feature, visit https://www.511ia.org/help/section/how-to-create-and-manage-a-511-account.html.
To learn more about NWZAW, visit nwzaw.org.
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For more information about National Work Zone Awareness Week, please contact Brian Worrel, Work Zone Operations Engineer, Iowa DOT Construction & Materials Bureau, at 515-239-1471 or brian.worrel@iowadot.us.