Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

SDDOT promotes careful driving in work zones during awareness week

South Dakota DOT / Highway Patrol
SDPB
South Dakota DOT / Highway Patrol

April 15-19 is National Work Zone Awareness Week and the South Dakota Department of Transportation is asking drivers to put the phone down, buckle up, and help everyone get home safely.

With road construction season starting, the DOT wants to remind motorists that “work zones are temporary. Actions behind the wheel can last forever.”

Last year almost 400 work zone crashes occurred on state and local roadways. DOT officials said most were the results of distracted driving.

"All drivers need to take personal responsibility to eliminate distractions and stay focused on the road," said SDDOT secretary Joel Jundt.

Officials encourage drivers to remember to buckle up and put the phone down while driving to help get everyone on the roadway home safe.

Ryan is the local host of "Morning Edition". Originally from Iowa, he first came to the Black Hills to study at SD Mines. After graduating in 2019, he was an educator in Arizona and North Dakota before returning to the Black Hills.