Ohio DOT uses “work zone simulation room” to show drivers the dangers of road construction

Updated Apr 2, 2015

roadworksignConstruction can be a dangerous job and when you throw in people in a hurry driving alongside you, it becomes exponentially more dangerous.

Citing data saying 23 highway workers are killed each month in the U.S., the Ohio Department of Transportation invited the public to get a feel for just how dangerous road work can be.

According to a report from Cleveland.com, ODOT opened a “work zone simulation room” last week that demonstrated work with cars whizzing by using high-definition footage taken from jobsites. The DOT says more than 5,100 crashes occurred in its work zones last year with 1,000 people being injured and 17 killed.

Nine highway workers have been killed on ODOT jobsites since 1973 and the department recently began requiring drivers to shift over one lane when passing a vehicle with flashing lights. If changing lanes isn’t possible, the DOT asks drivers to slow down when passing these vehicles.