By JIM FARIS
On any given day during construction season, Missouri will have as many as 1,000 work zones across its 34,000 miles of roads, bridges, and highways.
As part of National Work Zone Awareness Week, April 20-24th, Missouri's Department of Transportation is asking motorists to "Work With Us", encouraging them to slow down, put down phones, and be more patient and courteous in those work zones.
While overall traffic fatalities are down over the last three years in this state, work zone fatalities have not fallen in the same way. Distracted drivers and speeders remain the top reasons for work zone wrecks. In 2025, 24 people were killed in Missouri work zones. Distracted driving contributed to at least 11 of those, per MoDOT.
MoDOT's vehicles being struck actually increased last year 32%, with 50 such incidents. Those parked cars are often the only barrier road crews have for safety purposes.
You can learn more about ongoing work zone safety efforts HERE.