Bay Area officials urge drivers to prioritize work zone safety as construction picks up

National Work Zone Awareness Week

Duke Energy and Bay Area law enforcement officers are reminding drivers to be cautious on the road as spring construction season gets underway. FOX 13’s Aaron Mesmer reports. 

CLEARWATER, Fla. - The spotlight is on work zone safety across the country this week, as utility crews and law enforcement in the Bay Area push for drivers to be more cautious on the road.

With construction picking up during spring, Duke Energy and the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office are reminding motorists that a moment of inattention can have serious consequences.

Florida work zone crashes

By the numbers:

Officials say the numbers are alarming. In 2024 alone, more than 60 people were killed and 4,400 others were hurt in work-zone crashes across Florida.

Dig deeper:

Safety leaders say utility workers face unique risks on the job, often working around high-voltage equipment while relying on drivers to follow traffic controls.

"Our employees are working on thousands of volts of electricity. When they're at work doing their job, so they have to stay focused wholly on that," said Phil McGee, a health and safety coordinator with Duke Energy.

McGee said work zones can vary in size and complexity, from smaller setups where drivers navigate on their own to large-scale projects that stretch hundreds of feet with cones, signage, and workers directing traffic.

Dangers of ignoring work zone traffic patterns

Why you should care:

Officials warn that ignoring traffic patterns in work zones can create dangerous situations for both workers and drivers.

"When that happens, it can actually cause a head-on collision or cause problems with pedestrians trying to maneuver around it also," McGee said.

Recent incidents highlight the risks. In January, a driver was killed, and three construction workers were injured in a crash on the Howard Frankland Bridge. Days later, another crash in a construction zone along Interstate 75 left a Brandon man hospitalized.

Authorities say enforcement is ongoing. Deputies in Pinellas County made 76 traffic stops in work zones over the past year.

Deputies are also urging drivers to remember Florida’s Move Over Law, which requires motorists to move over for stopped vehicles on the side of the road, including emergency responders and disabled vehicles.

What they're saying:

Law enforcement officials say many of these crashes are preventable if drivers stay focused and follow posted speeds.

"If you could just pay attention while you're driving around, be conscientious of what's going on around you, and just be considerate," said Sgt. John Mullins with the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office. "We need to be slowing down and paying attention, especially when traveling through these work zones."