Each April, National Work Zone Safety Awareness Week (NWZSAW) is held to bring national attention to motorist and worker safety and mobility issues in work zones. The NWZSAW theme for 2010 is “Work Zones Need Your Undivided Attention."

In 2005, the 100-Car Naturalistic Driving Study was completed by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) and sponsored by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Virginia Tech, Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), and Virginia Transportation Research Council (VTRC). Two of the major discoveries found were:

• Nearly 80 percent of all crashes and 65 percent of all near-crashes involved driver inattention just prior to (i.e., within 3 seconds) the onset of the conflict.
• Inattention was a contributing factor for 93 percent of rear-end-striking crashes.

GEAUX ORANGE is how the Huey P. Long Bridge Widening Project celebrates and spotlights NWZSAW throughout the year. We want to support this year’s effort to put a stop to the dangerous practice of distracted driving on our nation’s roadways and work zones. Distracted driving is a serious and life-threatening practice.

GEAUX ORANGE and drive safe on the Huey!

Geaux Orange Public Service Announcement: Rick Jones, Tulane University Baseball Head Coach

Geaux Orange Public Service Announcement: Aaron Broussard, Jefferson Parish President